Vampire Facelift: Blood for Youth

Twilight and True Blood have sparked more than movie and TV vampire fans (which includes, BTW, a lot of over-40 females).

They have apparently inspired a face lift. The Vampire Facelift is also known as the U-Lift — meaning it comes from you — no artificial fillers, the filler is your own blood.

Actually, U-Lift surgery is an updated and modified version of the Vampire Face Lift by Dr. Scott Blyer, Diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, and board-certified NYC surgeon specializing in maxillofacial and cosmetic surgery. But yes, it still involves drawing your blood.

Sound gruesome? Before you judge, consider this Historical newsflash:

In 1870s Paris, women stopped by slaughterhouses to slurp down a glass of warm blood from a freshly killed beast to nourish their complexions.*

Personally, if given the choice between drinking it and injecting it, I'd take the syringe any day. But you decide. Here's how it's done:
         A small amount of blood is drawn, a similar amount to a blood test. The blood is prepared for treatment by putting it in a centrifugal force machine, or 'spinner' which separates out the different properties of the blood to isolate the PRP (platelet rich plasma). Blood is made of 3 main components:

• Cells: white cells, red cells, and platelets
• Plasma: liquid portion of the blood (allows for movement of cells)
• Fibrin: protein that acts like a net to catch platelets at the site of desired activity.

The spinner — Arteriocyte's Magellan — is a closed system that claims to eliminate contamination, infection risk, or operator error. With most systems, a technician separates the different cellular components blindly, which introduces a margin of error. The machine does this within sealed test tubes with no exposure to air.

The most effective properties of the blood are then injected into facial areas such as around the mouth, eyes, and forehead — also to add volume to the cheeks, jawline, or chin.

Dr. Blyer's unique spin: He uses infrared and radiofrequency technology to create wounding beneath skin's surface (sounds a lot like Ultherapy to me) so the growth factors within the platelets have a more specific target as to where to go and what to heal. Where injected, they repair existing damage to skin and help grow new collagen, improving skin texture, and minimizing wrinkles.

Dr. Blyer has U-Lifted 25 or so patients so far this year. I spoke to Linda from Long Island, 62, who's never had work done before and decided to try this a few days ago.

I have no bruising, maybe a little around my right eye, and I was a little swollen – but that's it. My friend who came to pick me up, said 'Oh, you look good' right after!" Linda enthused. "These women who get their face cut up – forget it!"

Why did she decide to do it?

Oh you know, you're getting older. You feel good about yourself. You're in good shape. You have a good head of hair… you don't wanna look so tired…"

Plus, she said a friend of hers, who runs CanDoBetter.com, an online dating site, suggested it. Some upsides:

• It lasts longer than fillers, but only about a year.
• It's all natural — in that it comes from your own body.
• Produces new collagen.
• Can be injected into thin eyelid skin without discoloration or bumps, which are more common with Radiesse, Restylane, or Juvederm.
• Juvederm comes in 0.8cc syringes, Radiesse, 1.5cc's — with PRP, one session can provide 3-10 cc's.
• Compared to fat injections: It can be done very comfortably without sedation & there's no 'donor' site discomfort.

Dr. Blyer told me its especially good around the eye area and lines on the mouth—traditionally very tough areas to treat.

Full results and healing time takes about 4 weeks, although "older people, over 65, can take up to 6 weeks," he says. Cost is about $2400 and up.

Linda is very happy with her results and wouldn't hesitate to do it again: "Not tomorrow, but if I had to do it again, I would."

So, ready to vampirize yourself?

More plastic surgery options:
Trading plastic surgery for Botox – is it safe?
Finding a Cosmetic Surgeon
New Nonsurgical Face Lift