CINCINNATI (WKRC) – One of the hottest beauty trends this Halloween is the “vampire facial,” a procedure that uses a patient’s own blood to rejuvenate the skin. Dr. Elizabeth Muennich of Dermatology and Skin Care Associates explained that the process involves drawing blood, which is then placed in a device she calls a “cooker” to separate products like platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) or platelet-rich plasma (PRP). These formulas are then injected into the skin.

“When you add in PRF or PRP, you are now throwing in the patient’s own growth factors and you’re giving them an extra cellular boost to then heal and repair with better skin,” said Dr. Muennich.

The procedure, which includes microneedling, creates a “controlled surgical wound” that prompts the skin to release growth factors, aiding in collagen production and improving skin quality. The initial result is a “kinda bloody” appearance, hence the vampire reference, but this fades over time.

The cost for a vampire facial starts at about $1,000, and it is typically not covered by medical insurance.