Ever wondered what’s actually involved in a Vampire Facial?

This week we’re back with WTF (#wetriedfirst – see what we did there?) a new series in which we demystify lesser known and up and coming treatments. We try them, we test them, and we take you with us every step of the way. Recently we sent our Beauty Content Editor Rebecca to try out a Vampire Facial at the Aestha Clinic in London, a high tech skin rejuvenating treatment that’s said to plump up your complexion, diminish fine lines and wrinkles and accelerate collagen production. But is it worth the hype? A word of warning: if you’re squeamish and don’t like needles, you might want to look away now!

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• 1 Step 1: numbing cream

  For the first step of a Vampire Facial, your therapist will cleanse the skin and remove makeup, and then apply a numbing cream to the entire face. This is left on to absorb for roughly 15 minutes while they prepare for the blood extraction.
• 2 Step 2: blood extraction

  The second step of the process is the all important blood extraction. It goes without saying that if you’re not a fan of needles and squirm at the sight of blood this facial may not be for you. It only takes a matter of seconds though and other than a slight pin prick it's pain free and very straightforward.
• 3 Step 3: centrifuge

  Once a small vial of blood has been taken from your arm, the next stage is to centrifuge it. This important part of the treatment is what separates the platelet rich plasma (the key ingredient of the facial) with the red and white blood cells. PRP is a rejuvenating part of our blood, and has been used in a medical setting for over 30 years helping to treat a multitude of skin traumas – from burn victims to acne scarring. It’s only in the last decade that it’s started to make waves as a cosmetic treatment due to its host of anti-ageing benefits.
• 4 Step 4: PRP extraction

  Once the blood has been left to spin (at 300 RPM no less) your therapist will be ready to begin. They’ll start by carefully removing the plasma from the vial and transferring it into the injection needles.
• 5 Step 5: injection time

  The injections begin! Trust us, it looks scarier than it is. The injections are superficial and only penetrate the top layers of your skin – plus the numbing cream keeps pain levels at a minimum. A slight stinging sensation is all you should feel, but hey – no pain no gain!
• 6 Step 6: repeat

  This process is then repeated over the entire face, focusing on areas of concern. The act of injecting plasma back into your skin creates small controlled traumas, allowing it to absorb more deeply. When it reaches a wounded area, the plasma helps it to clot, which in turn regenerates new skin, encouraging accelerated elastin and collagen production.
• 7 Step 7: hyaluronic acid

  Once the injections are complete, your therapist will often apply a vitamin-rich hyaluronic acid to help soothe your skin after the treatment. Ice can also be applied.
• 8 Step 8: LED facial

  An optional final step of the treatment is to finish it off with an express LED facial to help kickstart the healing process. Downtime is minimal though, and apart from a small amount of bruising which can occur, your skin should be back to normal within a day or two.
• 9 Step 9: you're done!

  And the verdict? Well you won’t start seeing visible results until a few weeks in when the PRP starts to settle, so don’t expect to roll out of bed the next morning with perfect skin. But one month in and you’ll definitely start to see a difference. Skin is visibly plumper, fine lines and dark circles have decreased, and overall you’ll have a brighter, more youthful glow. In other words, it has our stamp of approval and then some.