What is a PRP FaceLift?

 

A PRP FaceLift is a non-surgical procedure that combines using hyaluronic acid (HA) filler and injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) derived from your own blood. A PRP FaceLift at the Urban Aesthetix Clinic restores facial shape, improves tone and texture, and rejuvenates your skin.

 

Blood platelets contain growth factors that stimulate collagen synthesis, skin renewal, cell growth, and tissue regeneration. Plasma contains fibrinogen, a protein that catches platelets at a wound site to form a clot. Platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) therapy is therefore a completely natural way for your skin to rejuvenate and repair since it uses your own blood and your body’s own healing powers in inducing tissue growth.

 

The first part of the PRP FaceLift involves using an HA filler to add volume to your face and improve its shape in a completely natural way.

 

An amount of blood is drawn, just like in a blood test, and spun in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets and plasma from the other components of blood. The PRP is usually then activated with calcium (chloride or gluconate) to trick the platelets into thinking that they are in the body and the body has been injured.

 

The PRP is then injected multiple times in specific facial areas with a small needle, creating the equivalent of mini-wounds. Multi-potent stem cells already in your skin therefore become activated ‘believing’ that new and younger tissue is needed. As a result, new tissue that includes new collagen is grown, new fatty tissue is produced for skin smoothness and new blood vessels (neovascularisation) are formed to increase blood flow for a healthier glow and better quality skin.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a PRP FaceLift used for?

PRP Therapy can lift skin, erase wrinkles and make your skin look healthier and more youthful:

  • Grey, dull or tired looking skin: to increase blood flow and help skin have a youthful rosy glow again
  • Droopy facial appearance due to loss of collagen: to improve facial shape and create a younger-looking appearance
  • Poor skin texture: to avoid a worn or tired appearance by making skin look smoother and revitalised
  • Hollow cheeks and tired eyes due to loss of volume from bone, muscle, fat, and skin: to restore facial volume and plump up cheeks
  • Jowls and sagging neck or turkey neck: to firm, tighten and lift loose skin under your neck
  • Nasolabial lines: to treat smile lines and deep creases running from the nose to the mouth that can make you look older than you really are
  • Mouth corners/ oral commissures/marionette lines: to treat ageing folds running down from the mouth angle
  • Perioral lines: to eliminate small vertical lines running from the lip border, sometimes called ‘smokers’ lines’ or ‘lipstick bleed lines’
  • Bunny lines or bunny nose: to eliminate dynamic wrinkles on the nose
  • Crow’s feet: to remove lines in corners of the eyes
  • Forehead wrinkles and frown lines: to do away with horizontal lines across the forehead – without resulting in a frozen look.

What does a PRP FaceLift involve?

Treatment is simple and safe if carried out by Dr Unnati, who is an experienced and fully qualified clinician, following a detailed consultation to examine the areas to treat and decide on what is best for you.

 

Before carrying out the treatment, Dr Unnati will administer a topical local anaesthetic cream for a comfortable treatment.

 

A small amount of hyaluronic acid filler is injected to restore facial shape, because of the loss of volume in due to ageing and reduction of facial bone, muscle and fat. The isolated platelets taken from your blood contain at least eight of your body’s own concentrated growth factors to rejuvenate facial skin quality and volume.

 

The treatment can take around an hour, which is why a Vampire FaceLift® is also known as a ‘lunchtime facelift’. You can resume most normal daily activities immediately afterwards.

How soon should you notice a difference?

You should see a difference immediately after treatment. Patients over the age of 40 will need a course of 3 treatments spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, while younger patients may only need 1 treatment. Dr Unnati will advise you.

How long does a PRP FaceLift last?

With PRP Therapy, skin continues to regenerate with continuous improvements up to 6 – 12 months after treatment.

Are there any side effects to a PRP FaceLift?

PRP FaceLift involves injecting your own blood so any side effects are usually mild to moderate.

 

The short-lived side effects associated with the injection process include bleeding, swelling, tenderness and redness which settle within a few hours, and bruising which settles within a few days. If the lips have been treated, the swelling can be significant and may take several days to settle. Bruising can be common around the eyes because the under-eye area is rich in small blood vessels.

 

There is a minimal risk of infection as the needle breaks the natural barrier to infection when creating a small wound in the skin. Please therefore avoid touching the area or using any unsterile make-up for 6 hours after treatment, although mineral make-up or sterile medical make-up can be used immediately. You may experience some itching and discolouration at the site of treatment which should settle within a few days.

 

If you’re an overseas patient, advance booking is highly recommended in case a course of treatments is required.

When should a PRP Facelift not be used/be used with caution?

  • While pregnant or breast feeding
  • If you have critical thrombocytopaenia (a low number of platelets in the blood)
  • If you have septicaemia
  • If you have haemodynamic instability (an unstable blood pressure)
  • If the areas to be injected are inflamed or infected

Points to consider

Any clinical procedure carries a risk of complications, which is why it is always highly advisable to have cosmetic treatments safely performed by a doctor. Dr Unnati is a GP and specialist Non-Surgical Aesthetic Physician, trained in dermatology and medical cosmetics.

 

The Urban Aesthetix Clinic follows strict guidelines in making patients fully aware of any possible cautions and complications, and in offering post treatment advice. Dr Unnati will undertake a full consultation before any new treatment can be given.

 

PRP has been an alternative to surgery in regenerating skin tissue in wound healing, orthopaedics, ENT, neurosurgery and maxillofacial surgery by promoting safe and natural healing. Its use as a Vampire FaceLift® is relatively new, but has an excellent safety profile and promising results.