Is a ‘Vampire Breast Lift’ Worth the Cost?

You’ve probably heard of the vampire facial, but what about a vampire breast lift? Celebrities like Kim Kardashian popularized the facial, a cosmetic procedure that uses plasma from a patient’s own blood to supposedly stimulate collagen and improve skin texture. But you might not be aware that the technique is also used in other body areas, including the scalp (for thinning hair) and the bust line (to enhance skin in the décolletage area). So, the vampire breast “lift” is a bit of a misnomer. Still, is it just another Hollywood beauty gimmick, or can it deliver real results? And, uh, is it painful?

We talked to a board-certified plastic surgeon about the procedure, which is also called a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) breast lift, to find out the risks, benefits, and if it’s worth the hefty price tag of $1,200-$4,500.

What is a vampire breast lift?

The vampire nickname comes from the procedure itself, in which a person’s blood is drawn, put into a centrifuge (a machine that spins the blood at high speed), and then re-injected into the low neckline/upper breast area. (So I suppose you become your own vampire?)

The blood is separated into three parts by the centrifuge: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet-rich plasma, which is the part of the blood that is then injected into the cleavage area to help increase elastin and collagen growth, per the Cleveland Clinic. The procedure generally takes less than an hour, which means Hollywood celebs can fit it into their lunch break.

“It makes the skin in the décolletage area much better and gives a slight, temporary plumping effect,” says Roy Kim, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in California. The results can last two to six months, “but you always go back down to baseline,” he says.

Who is a good candidate for the procedure?

A patient in good health who does not want a surgical breast lift, but who would like to look more youthful in the neckline and cleavage area could benefit from the procedure, Dr. Kim says. He notes that it might be beneficial if someone has a lot of sun damage, aging, or wrinkling in that area.

However, the in-office procedure, which is not considered surgery, does not actually lift the breasts. Your breasts may look fuller for a time, but it primarily improves the tone and texture of the skin in that area since the high concentration of platelets stimulates tissue regeneration and cell reproduction.

A PRP breast lift is a low-risk procedure as long as the patient is in good health, but some swelling, bruising, or mild pain at the injection site is possible. People who are anemic, have a blood disorder, or who are on blood thinners should not get the procedure, Dr. Kim says.

Does a vampire breast lift hurt?

It could hurt, but probably just a little. The provider should administer numbing medication (either cream or injection) prior to the PRP injections and microneedling, Dr. Kim says. “Microneedling pokes tiny holes into the skin, and then you drive the PRP into the tiny holes.”

If you get a numbing injection, it should ease the pain of the microneedling. But then again, pain varies, and it can feel uncomfortable for some. Kim Kardashian, who was unable to use the numbing cream since she was pregnant, said her vampire facial in 2018 was “rough and painful” as a result. So keep that in mind!

Do you have to go to a plastic surgeon?

You might feel more comfortable going to a plastic surgeon for this procedure, but it’s not entirely necessary since it’s not surgery, Dr. Kim says. “A good medspa can deliver good results,” he says. (Emphasis on good here.) “You just want an experienced provider who takes it seriously.”

Make sure the medspa has credentialed and licensed practitioners, a good consultation process, and solid reviews online. Per the CDC, there are very rare cases of patients getting hepatitis or HIV after a PRP injection. “Those cases are at medspa factories where the centrifuge isn’t carefully monitored and isn’t in the patient’s room, but in a back room where they put in multiple patients’ blood and then everything gets mixed up, and they’re injecting the wrong patients’ blood,” Dr. Kim says, reiterating that this scenario is highly unlikely.

Since the procedure (when done properly) uses only your own blood, the risk of complications is minimal, Dr. Kim says.

With no downtime and minimal risk and pain, the vampire breast lift might interest you if you want to improve sun damage, fine lines, and uneven tone in the décolletage area. It might also offer quick results compared to a less expensive but slower option, like retinol. However, if you want an actual breast lift, the “vampire” version will not do the trick. As you likely guessed, lifting the breasts will require surgery—and the costs and risks that go along with it.