Look Younger With New 'Vampire Facelift' Procedure

Even plastic surgeons have taken to the vampire craze. A handful of spas, dermatologists and doctors across the U.S. are performing what has been dubbed the “vampire facelift.” The procedure draws blood from a client and extracts the plasma, which is then injected into the face to smooth out wrinkles and encourage new collagen growth.

The FDA approved the use of plasma as an injectable into the face in March 2010 and already it has taken off like vampires in the night.

Offices in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, Miami, Manhattan and now La Jolla are offering this hematologic procedure. The Spa of La Jolla will start offering this non-invasive lift this weekend. Beauty and youth-seekers are paying anywhere from $1,500 to $3,800 for this procedure across the U.S.

On Saturday and Sunday, Dr. Jon M. Grazer will perform the “lift” at The Spa of La Jolla for a killer deal starting at $1,800.

“I had mine done a few weeks ago and I had absolutely no downtime and no bruising,” said Dianne York, president and CEO of The Spa of La Jolla. “This is very, very exciting."

The procedure is four simple steps. First a practitioner draws blood from the patient’s arm, not their neck. That blood is placed into a centrifuge that spins the blood very rapidly to separate out the platelets. While the blood spins, the practitioner fills face wrinkles and lines with a filler such as Juvederm. Once the blood is separated and the filler has been injected, the platelet rich plasma (about 50 percent of the blood drawn) is injected into the patient's face.

“This is really exciting because you are using you to look younger,” said Kathleen Duggan-O’Brien, licensee of the trademarked procedure and former La Jolla resident. “We are not cutting, we are volumizing you.”

This procedure was featured on Doctors and has rare reviews by many, but no studies have been conducted based on results. Many claim that platelet-rich plasma injections can improve skin color, lift the face with collagen and make skin appear smoother.

Duggan-O’Brien explained that there is no risk for an allergic reaction because the blood is your own.

In addition, Duggan-O’Brien, an owner of Dallas-based Eclipse Aesthetics, a manufacturer and supplier of aesthetic medical products, said Eclipse will be opening its Southern California base from The Spa of La Jolla. Duggan-O’Brien and Eclipse Aesthetics will conduct physician-based “vampire” training workshops and courses, as well as holding “vampire” events for future patients and neighbors throughout the year.

For more information about the vampire facelift email kduggan@eclipsemed.com or call 972-814-5521. To make an appointment at The Spa of La Jolla call 858-459-6868.

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