Health Watch (Vampire Facial)

<p style="text-align: left;">           Beauty Comes With a (HIV)gh Price!

With social media and influencers playing a big role in netizens’ lives, there seems a fierce rat race to look picture-perfect and stay forever young. As a result, the mad craze for exotic beauty treatments is growing by leaps and bounds, often reversing the desired results. The latest to stun the beauty-and-glamour industry is vampire facial, which went topsy-turvy with three US-based ladies contracting HIV after receiving the PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection-related regime at an unauthorised spa.

By PRAMITA BOSE

Opting for bizarre beauty hacks and extreme body treatments to don a flawless and evergreen look has always been a popular trend. From celebs to commoners, all chase unique spa sessions and blindly buy expensive parlour packages to stop aging, and appear scarless and wrinkle-free by undergoing the surgical knife or needle-invasive procedures. As a consequence, things go awry at times to trigger infection and permanent damages.

Imitating Trendsetters

“The general psychology is to ape the lifestyle of a famed persona and be under the pump to always look drop-dead gorgeous and minty fresh. In close circles and media groups, herd instincts may prompt followers to surrender to the demands of stiff competition and peer pressure. I’d rather suggest consulting a professional doctor to find out what is most suitable for one’s skin and do some in-depth study before jumping the gun,” advises noted dermatologist Dr. Varshini Reddy, founder of Glow Clinic, Hyderabad.

Incidentally, renowned reality TV star Kim Kardashian, her sister Kourtney, model-TV artiste-presenter Ferne McCann and Israeli model Bar Refaeli had earlier received this quirky vampire facial to hit the headlines and shock the world.

Spooky Vampire

While this could sound as an act straight out of a Halloween drama but it’s sadly true — the latest horror to haunt the high-end beauty salons is testing HIV positive via the vampire facial.

The grievous matter was reported after three US women got infected with HIV post the application of this PRP injection-led facial at an unrecognised New Mexico spa.

Pros & Cons

The treatment requires a subject to be infused with samples of his/her own blood that are fed into a centrifuge to filter out the protein-rich plasma, which then helps revitalise the skin. The process involves collecting blood from the arms along with growth factors and sifting the platelets only to be redirected onto the face.

“It is microneedled into the skin. Among the benefits reaped are a smoother skin texture, healthier and brighter glow, and satisfying rejuvenation. It also works on removing dark spots and blemishes,” enumerates Dr. Reddy.

“The 2.0 version is even more cutting-edge with teeming prospects, constituting exosomes and cytokines with numerous advantages. Good news is that it needs no blood withdrawal at all,” she informs.

The vampire facial is usually less susceptible to side effects. However, there might be some potential risks to mull over. Mild injection-site reactions like swelling, redness, bruising or discomfort could be the generic niggles, which gradually subside in a few days.

Ace Bollywood makeup artiste and aesthetician Ojas Rajani warns that “if not done the right away, such techniques might induce severe scarring and infections. Hence, extra hygiene and post-care are crucial. The sole side effect could be bruising and it is important to maintain the downtime of healing.”

Hazards to Handle

Initial probe into the incident claims that poor hygiene and unsterilised surgical instruments could be the cause of contamination. Evidently, the medical fraternity is clamouring against the mushrooming of unlicensed clinics and uncertified practitioners or quacks in the health domain.

“We need to keep tabs on certain dangers looming over. Sanitised conditions are to be ensured all the time with germ-killing disinfectants. It obviously cannot be done at salons and centers, which are not approved by a controlling body to conduct these delicate and sophisticated treatments,” cautions Dr. Reddy.

Dr. Sushma Yadav, dermatologist, cosmetologist and founder of Skinology Centre in Bangalore, seconds the opinion. “Yes, a lot of unskilled people, and ill-equipped salons and spas are joining the brigade without conforming to the standard protocols.”

“Without a medical degree, one happens to do a complete disservice to the community at large and end up mishandling emergency components like blood and blood products,” she rues.

“The clinician should know what items to dispose of and disinfect. As a patient too, one must make informed choices and try and understand what skin-compatible services to opt for. It would be rather imprudent to put one’s health and life at risk just to save a few bucks,” she insists.

Dr. Reddy reminds that “vampire facial is an otherwise absolutely safe treatment if executed by a regulated clinic with a qualified dermat. So, be wise enough to visit a doctor with a professional grade and not just any cowboy physician.”

Allow or Abort?

Skin experts and beauticians sometimes draw flak for allegedly prescribing such unconventional facelifts to their patients. On the contrary, Dr. Yadav attests that she had “no qualms in endorsing these treatments as a skin specialist” because she knows “the methods thoroughly and how they work to bear fruits.”

“I’m trained and educated in this discipline and am widely aware of doing the procedure in a proper hygienic environment with fumigated devices. These are necessary precautions I need to take as a medical practitioner,” she assures.

Debunking Misconception

It’s a myth that vampire facial yields optimal results only for those with a sound medical condition like leading a healthy lifestyle or recipients who are adequately on a nutritional diet. “The said facial creates small channels to absorb the growth factors and aids in collagen (skin protein) boosting. It’s done superficially. So, no contraindications are as such mentioned to abstain from this treatment,” clarifies Dr. Yadav.

However, she alerts that “any underlying active skin issue or infection and allergies could pose a challenge to this treatment. In that case, it is best avoided.”

Skincare: Fad or Necessity?

Strikingly enough, over the past few decades, the ‘glamville’ has seen the breakthrough of a slew of offbeat cosmetic regimes, throwing caution to the wind and natural living with organic healing out of the window. It’s as if upgrading God’s creation or reinterpreting a human’s inborn qualities. To administer a trendy designer beauty routine, a person is gladly adapting to fixed alterations. The global brands are now easily accessible, so it seems no longer a big deal to pamper oneself with upscale smart products.

“Skincare can never be dubbed a fad. We need to dispel the notion of attributing skin nourishment to vanity. Instead, we must ask folks to embrace the holistic nature of physical nurture. Correct cure and guidance are paramount. This is not just ticking therapeutic methods off a menu but actually deep diving into the concept and education of wellness,” reasons Dr. Reddy. “You should make informed choices for your skin, which is integral to your body. That’s why regular care is very important and definitely worthwhile in the long run,” she adds.

Treatment Gallery

Mesotherapy, Medical Needling or Microneedling, Liposuction or body contouring, stomach stapling or Vertical Banded Gastroplasty, Botox, fillers, Cellulite Therapy, nose and lip job, bust enhancement, surgery on the ankles for shapely heels, Vampire Facial aka Microneedling with PRP have been flooding the medical market over a past few decades.

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