Why the science behind Kim Kardashian's ‘vampire facial' remains popular – from platelet-rich plasma therapy to extracting stem cells after liposuction to be used in regenerative treatments
Skin changes are part of life, but who says your skin can't stay as fresh and vibrant as you feel? An exciting approach to skincare revolves around tapping into the body's own powers to regenerate. The secret? Biological materials – your own blood, fat and stem cells – turned into powerful, bespoke skincare solutions that support natural renewal.
These cutting-edge procedures are grounded in regenerative medicine – historically used to treat injuries, but now entering the beauty sphere.
Kim Kardashian iconic 'vampire facial' selfie from 2013. Photo: Handout
Advertisement
Take platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, for instance. Known as the 'vampire facial', it became famous in 2013 when
Kim Kardashian posted a now-iconic, blood-covered selfie during the procedure. The viral image sparked a frenzy of interest in the then-little-known treatment, leading to a surge of clients eager to try it.
Although Kardashian later admitted she didn't enjoy the experience due to the pain (since she couldn't use numbing cream during pregnancy), the allure of achieving glowing, youthful skin through the body's own healing power had already grabbed the public imagination.
'The process involves drawing blood, spinning it to isolate platelet-rich plasma, and injecting this back into the skin,' explains Dr Matthew Howard, a dermatologist at Melbourne Skin & Dermatology. Growth factors in the platelets stimulate collagen production and accelerate natural healing, 'improving texture, reducing fine lines and delivering a radiant glow that feels almost supernatural – but is simply [thanks to] the body's own power', he adds.
Biological skincare treatments can involve extracting blood. Photo: Trunk Archive
PRP therapy is excellent for treating acne scars, sun damage and stubborn wrinkles, particularly around the eyes and mouth. When paired with microneedling, the results are even more striking. The micro-injuries created by the needles allow the PRP to penetrate deeper, enhancing its rejuvenating effects, and leaving skin smoother and visibly refreshed.
Although PRP may have grabbed the headlines, it's far from the only breakthrough in biological skincare. Enter adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) therapy, a game-changer treatment that involves harvesting fat – typically via liposuction – processing it to extract stem cells, and then reinjecting it into areas needing a boost. Howard notes that although the cosmetic world has used fat grafting for some time, its regenerative benefits are a more recent discovery.
'The stem cells in this fat work to restore lost volume and stimulate collagen production, tapping into your body's natural regeneration powers and delivering results that last longer,' he says. But ADSCs do more than just plump the skin: they improve its density, elasticity and hydration, enhancing blood flow and reducing inflammation, for skin that doesn't just look younger but behaves like it too.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Australia's Albanese says compromise on biosecurity ‘not worth it' ahead of Trump talks
Australia will not relax its strict biosecurity rules during tariff negotiations with the United States, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday ahead of a potential meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit this month. Australia has restricted the entry of US beef since 2003 due to the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, known as mad cow disease, but it exports beef worth A$4 billion (US$2.6 billion) annually to the US, its largest market. 'We will not change or compromise any of the issues regarding biosecurity – full stop, exclamation mark. It's simply not worth it,' Albanese told ABC Radio. Trump in April singled out Australian beef while announcing a 10 per cent baseline tariff on all imports. Years of dry weather have shrunk US cattle numbers to their lowest since the 1950s, but Australia, with a herd swollen by wet weather, is flush with supply, offering lower prices and lean cuts that the US lacks. A report in The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on Friday, citing unidentified government officials, said Australian authorities were reviewing whether to allow entry of beef products from cattle raised in Mexico and Canada but slaughtered in the US, as the Trump administration has demanded.
South China Morning Post
7 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Australian woman admits fatal mushroom lunch, but denies murder in court
An Australian woman accused of murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives with poisonous mushrooms told a court on Tuesday she accepted that the fatal lunch she served contained death caps. Advertisement But Erin Patterson said the 'vast majority' of the fungi came from local stores. She denies three counts of murder and one of attempted murder over the beef wellington meal she served to her parents-in-law and her estranged husband's aunt and uncle at her home in July 2023. Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson were hospitalised and died after the lunch in the rural town of Leongatha in the Australian state of Victoria. Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, was gravely ill but survived. Patterson's lawyer earlier told the Supreme Court trial that the poisoning was a tragic accident, but prosecutors said it was deliberate. If convicted, she faces a sentence of life imprisonment on the murder charges and 25 years in jail for attempted murder. Long queues formed outside the Latrobe Valley Courthouse on Tuesday after Patterson took the stand late on Monday, which was the first time she had spoken publicly since the deaths. The Amanita phalloides is commonly known as the death cap. Photo: Shutterstock Accused foraged mushrooms for years
South China Morning Post
03-06-2025
- South China Morning Post
Why are Gwyneth Paltrow and TikTokkers shunning sunscreen, despite the science? Fear over unknown chemicals and a distrust of commercial brands is fuelling DIY alternatives to proper sun care
When Gwyneth Paltrow shared her skincare routine in a 2021 YouTube video for Vogue, fans were captivated – until she dropped her take on SPF. She wrapped up with a dab of Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30, casually mentioning, 'I'm not a head-to-toe latherer of sunscreen, but I like to put some on my nose and the area where the sun really hits.' A few dainty dabs, and that was it. Viewers didn't miss a beat, pointing out that a light tap of sunscreen won't exactly fend off UV rays, sparking a spirited debate online. Some social media influencers are against the use of sunscreen, despite demonstrable benefits. Photo: Handout For a minute, it seemed like sunscreen was a done deal: essential, end of story. Then TikTok popped up with a plot twist – 'Is sunscreen actually harmful?' Suddenly, SPF sceptics were everywhere, tossing around claims of toxicity like it was the newest health fad. The beauty industry is now in full-on damage control mode, trying to keep up as the anti-sunscreen train gains momentum. Advertisement Sunscreen's role once seemed obvious, but with TikTok setting trends, SPF has somehow lost its shine. Influencers are hyping unprotected sun exposure and even home-made sunscreens, setting back years of progress in sun safety and giving dermatologists a collective headache. Chinni Choi, NARS Hong Kong lead artist, warns that skipping SPF 'can accelerate skin ageing, as ageing slows down the renewal of epidermal cells, leading to keratin build-up and decreased cellular activity'. Fellow NARS artist Phoenix Mok agrees, noting, 'Especially for facial skin, not using sunscreen can cause ultraviolet rays to stimulate the underlying melanocytes, leading to pigmentation and the formation of dark spots.' Influencers on TikTok are spreading misinformation about sunscreen's safety. Photo: Handout The anti-sunscreen movement seems to trace back to claims that SPF is secretly toxic. TikTok creators have called out ingredients such as oxybenzone and benzene, painting them as villains. Sure, a few sunscreens were pulled due to benzene contamination, but here's the thing: benzene wasn't meant to be there in the first place. 'While there have been concerns about ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate, particularly regarding coral reef effects, the FDA-approved ingredients in sunscreens have decades of safety data,' explains Dr Ahmad Chaudhry , dual board-certified dermatologist at Scandinavian Biolabs. So unless someone's mixing up their own 'natural' SPF in the kitchen, commercially available sunscreens are the safest bet. One big concern is that sunscreen leads to vitamin D deficiency. Yes, our bodies produce vitamin D from sunlight, but we don't need to roast ourselves to get enough. Felix Law, a senior trainer at Laura Mercier Hong Kong, clarifies: 'While sunscreen may reduce the amount of vitamin D produced in the skin, it does not prevent all vitamin D synthesis.' So even with regular sunscreen, you're still getting what you need. 'The impact of sunscreen on vitamin D absorption is actually limited,' adds Choi. And just to be safe, there's always food. 'We can also obtain vitamin D through our daily diet, so maintaining a balanced and healthy diet allows us to get enough vitamin D without deficiency, even when applying sunscreen,' says Mok. Lab-tested sunscreen is far superior to anything you can concoct in your home. Photo: Handout And then there's tanning – the age-old pursuit of that sun-kissed glow. Some influencers are out here calling unprotected sun exposure 'natural' and 'healthy,' but dermatologists have long warned that tanning is really just skin damage in disguise. That bronze glow? It's the skin screaming, 'Help!' Each tan adds up, leading to premature ageing and raising the risk of skin cancers like melanoma, known for its aggressive nature.
