When Richa Chadha got honest about her experience with vampire facial: ‘They draw a little bit of your blood'

Goal of vampire facial, a cosmetic treatment involving application of platelet-rich plasma from patient's own blood, is to rejuvenate skin by boosting collagen.

Vampire facials have gained popularity among celebrities. Some notable celebs who have undergone vampire facials include reality TV star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian and model Bar Refaeli. Actor Richa Chadha also credits her firmer, more youthful-looking skin to getting vampire facials.

Richa Chadha on her facial treatment

The vampire facial treatment gets its name because of the blood that's involved. In October 2023, Richa appeared as a guest on Cyrus Broacha’s Cyrus Says podcast on his YouTube channel, and explained the skincare treatment that she swears by.

Richa said, “I go for something called a vampire facial, which I enjoy a lot. So, they draw out a little bit of your blood... it is a thing that Cleopatra invented, actually. She used to put leeches on her face to renew the skin and all... you know Cleopatra, the legendary beauty Cleopatra.”

She went to to share how it works, saying, “So, they draw a little bit of blood, then they take like a tiny prickly metallic roller – it's like so small and it causes like slight abrasions on your skin – and they separate the blood from the plasma and they put that plasma on the skin. Basically you have tricked the body into thinking you have a wound; so when it gets the plasma, it gets a sense of blood, it like rushes to make more collagen. So, on day 1, you have really rough skin, but on the next day you have really baby (skin). It is really nice.”

What is vampire facial?

The treatment involves drawing the person's blood, extracting the platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and injecting it back into the face via micro needling. In a January 2024 interview with HT City, Aleena, a physician from Cara Clinic, Mumbai, revealed some details and hidden aspects of this fascinating process.

To begin with, microneedling uses small needles to puncture the skin, which helps generate controlled micro-injuries. These ‘wounds’ help the body heal by stimulating collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for the skin's fullness and elasticity.

Aleena said, “Consider PRP to be your body’s own internal growth serum. By using its regeneration capacity, we make the skin texture better, diminish wrinkles, and even provide benefits to the hair follicles. It’s almost as if you are feeding nutrients to your skin from the inside out.”

It's essential to consult with a qualified professional to determine if this treatment is right for you.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.