A vampire facial is microneedling carried out with your own platelet-rich plasma. A small sample of your blood is drawn, spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, and that plasma is applied to the skin while a microneedling device creates controlled micro-channels across the surface. There is no other product involved. The dramatic name comes from the blood, not from anything about how the treatment feels.
You will also see the same procedure sold as a PRP facial, a plasma facial or a platelet-rich plasma facial. They are the same thing. What follows is a plain explanation of how it works, what the evidence does and does not show, what it costs in the UK, and the one question almost nobody asks before booking.
How a vampire facial works, step by step
- Blood draw. A small sample is taken from your arm, exactly as it would be for a routine blood test.
- Separation. The sample goes into a centrifuge, which spins it fast enough that the components separate by density. Red cells sink, and a straw coloured platelet-rich layer sits above them. That layer is drawn off. It takes a few minutes.
- Numbing. Topical numbing cream goes on the treatment area and is left for around 20 minutes.
- Microneedling. A device with very fine needles passes over the skin, creating controlled micro-channels.
- Application. Your plasma is applied across the skin as those channels are made, so it reaches past the surface rather than sitting on top of it.
Start to finish, allow 45 to 60 minutes. Most of that is preparation and numbing rather than needling.
Vampire facial or vampire facelift? They are not the same
This is the single most common mix up, and the two treatments have different aims.
- A vampire facial is PRP with microneedling. It works on the skin itself, so it is aimed at texture, fine lines, pores and the look of scarring.
- A vampire facelift is PRP injected alongside a hyaluronic acid dermal filler. The filler is what adds volume and changes contour. That means it is not a your-own-blood-only treatment, and it carries the considerations that come with any filler.
If a clinic uses the two terms interchangeably, ask them which one they actually mean and what is going into your face.
What platelet-rich plasma actually is
Blood is made up of red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma. Platelets are best known for clotting, but they also carry a range of proteins, often described as growth factors, that the body draws on as part of its ordinary repair processes.
Preparing PRP simply concentrates those platelets, so that a higher proportion of them ends up where you want the repair work to happen. Nothing is added from outside your body, which is a large part of the appeal for people who would rather not introduce a filler or a toxin.
Why PRP is combined with microneedling
Microneedling on its own is a long established treatment. The controlled micro-channels prompt the skin to begin its normal repair response, which is why microneedling is often described as collagen induction.
The logic of adding PRP is that it puts your own concentrated plasma into that moment, while the channels are open and the repair response has just been triggered. That is the theory, and it is a reasonable one. The next section is about how well it holds up.
What the evidence actually says
Here is where most clinic pages get vague, so we will not.
The strongest body of research on PRP with microneedling looks at atrophic acne scarring. A good number of studies have compared the combination against microneedling alone, frequently by treating opposite sides of the same face, and the combination has generally come out ahead. Typical protocols in that research run to four to six sessions at monthly intervals.
For general skin rejuvenation, meaning texture, fine lines and overall appearance, the picture is thinner. The American Academy of Dermatology says plainly that there is little evidence to show that PRP works or does not work for this purpose, and explains part of the reason: in regulatory terms PRP is treated as a device rather than as a drug, so it has never faced the trial requirements that a new medicine would.
What that means in practice is worth stating in ordinary language. PRP with microneedling is widely used, it is generally regarded as safe when carried out properly, and plenty of people are happy with the results. But if someone quotes you a precise percentage improvement for general rejuvenation, be a little sceptical about where that number came from.
What a vampire facial costs in the UK
Across the UK, a vampire facial usually falls between £250 and £600 a session. Central London clinics tend to sit at the top of that range and sometimes above it. Regional clinics tend to sit at the lower end. Courses of three are normally priced below three single sessions.
Two things are worth checking before you compare prices.
- What the price includes. Some clinics charge separately for the consultation, for numbing, or for aftercare products. Ask for the total.
- Whether it is one area or several. Face only is not the same as face and neck, and under eyes is usually treated as its own area.
For reference, at 360 Degree Clinic a PRP facial is £275 for a single session in one area and £650 for a course of three, with the consultation free and nothing added on the day.
The downsides nobody puts on the poster
- It is a course, not a visit. Three sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart is the usual starting point, so budget and plan accordingly.
- Nothing happens overnight. PRP works through your own repair processes, so any change builds over weeks.
- There is visible downtime. Expect redness like mild sunburn on the day, usually settling within one to three days, and pinpoint bruising is possible. Under the eyes, bruising is common rather than unusual.
- It is not permanent. Most people who stay with it have occasional maintenance sessions.
- It is not for everyone. See the section on who should avoid it below.
Is a vampire facial safe?
The treatment itself is generally regarded as safe when it is carried out properly. The risk is not really in the plasma, it is in the handling of blood and needles, and that depends entirely on where you go.
The clearest illustration of this is a US case investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reported in 2024. Five HIV infections were linked to an unlicensed New Mexico spa offering PRP microneedling facials. When inspectors visited, they found blood tubes stored on kitchen counters, unlabelled blood and injectables in a kitchen fridge alongside food, unwrapped syringes in drawers and in ordinary bins, no autoclave anywhere on the premises, equipment merely wiped with disinfectant spray, single-use tips being reused, and no client records at all, so nobody could even be traced afterwards.
That is not a story about PRP. It is a story about an unregulated setting handling blood badly. But it is the reason the setting is the part of this decision you should think hardest about.
Where England currently stands on regulation
This surprises people. As things stand there is no mandatory licensing scheme in force in England for non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as PRP and microneedling, and no specific legal requirement for a practitioner to hold any particular training before offering them. The Government consulted on a licensing scheme and published its response in August 2025, with procedures to be sorted into risk categories, but at the time of writing that scheme is not yet operating. Voluntary registers exist and joining them is optional.
In other words, the responsibility for checking sits with you.
How to choose where to have a vampire facial
Questions worth asking before you book anywhere, including here:
- Who will actually carry out the treatment, and what is their clinical background?
- Is the blood drawn, spun and used in a proper clinical space, or in a treatment room that doubles as something else?
- How is equipment sterilised, and is anything reused that should be single use?
- Are client records kept properly?
- Is there a consultation before treatment, and will they turn you away if you are not suitable?
- Does the price you are quoted include everything?
A clinic that welcomes those questions is telling you something useful. So is one that does not.
Who should not have a vampire facial
PRP is generally not appropriate if you have a blood clotting disorder, take blood thinning medication, have a blood borne infection such as hepatitis or HIV, have certain blood cancers, or have an active infection or skin cancer in the area to be treated. It is also not carried out during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. A proper consultation should cover all of this before anything is booked.
Frequently asked questions
Is a vampire facial the same as PRP with microneedling?
Yes. Vampire facial, PRP facial and plasma facial all describe microneedling carried out with your own platelet-rich plasma.
Does a vampire facial hurt?
Numbing cream is applied first and left for around 20 minutes. Most people describe the needling as a series of quick scratches rather than a sharp pain.
How many treatments do you need?
Three sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart is the usual starting point for general rejuvenation. Research protocols for acne scarring often run to four to six sessions at monthly intervals.
How long do the results last?
Any change builds gradually and is not permanent, which is why maintenance sessions are common. Individual results vary a great deal.
Can you wear make-up afterwards?
Keep the skin clean and free of make-up for the rest of the treatment day, then return to your normal routine from the following morning.
Is it worth it?
That depends on what you are treating. For acne scarring the evidence for adding PRP to microneedling is reasonably encouraging. For general rejuvenation the evidence is thinner, so the honest answer is that it suits people who like the idea of using their own plasma, are willing to commit to a course, and have realistic expectations about the pace of change.
360 Degree Clinic offers PRP in Surbiton for the face and neck, under the eyes and the scalp. Consultations are free, and we will tell you if we do not think the treatment is right for you. See the main PRP page for prices.