Skin treatment using blood cells to be tried on patients

The new treatment called the `Vampire Facelift`, which will make best use of the patients` own platelets, will be tried from next month at Fortis Hospital on persons seeking long-lasting and younger looking skin.

"This is called Vampire Facelift because we will use the patient`s own blood to give them a long lasting and beautiful skin. The blood will be collected from the patient and platelets will be extracted from it which will later be injected into their skin," Dr Ajay Kashyap, senior consultant cosmetic surgeon, Fortis Hospital said.

Any tissue damage in the body gets repaired because of the growth factors released by platelets. They collect at the site of injury and also produce gel-like material which hold the growth factors in place until healing takes place. They also stimulate stem cells which can develop into whatever cell type is required to repair the injury, he said.

"In order to give a new appearance to the face, we utilise the growth of the platelets in planned areas of the face. Platelets are already being used by physicians for diverse treatments like growing bone and fostering dental regrowth," he said.

"Every now and then new techniques are being tried to give patients the best treatment that has long lasting effect. Vampire facelift is one of them. We have not tried it yet," a cosmetic, plastic and reconstructive specialist with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said.

Dr Kashyap said, "Human blood has good regenerative properties. What could be better for a patient than to use his or her own body extracts instead of utilising artificial substances.