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Posts Tagged ‘restylane’

Clever Marketing Campaign or New Wrinkle Treatment - What is the “Vampire Facelift”? Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

More and more patients have been asking my thoughts on the “Vampire Facelift”.  This new anti-aging treatment uses a patient’s own plasma, which is centrifuged out of blood taken from their arm, mixed with a fibrin rich gel and injected back into the skin.  The matrix does not add volume to the skin, rather, the idea is that your own collagen builds in the areas the matrix is injected over a few weeks to soften lines and wrinkles.  The whole process takes about 30 minutes and costs anywhere from $800 - $1200.  The procedure is marketed to those who dislike synthetic fillers and want to use something more “natural” for a subtle change in their appearance over time.

I couldn’t agree more that being conservative with anti-aging procedures is the best approach, however the results of “Vampire Facelift” seem too unpredictable for the cost.  While fillers like Restylane, Perlane or Juvederm are synthetic, they are gels composed of hyaluronic acid, which is naturally found in the skin.  No allergy pre-testing is required.  These fillers are also very predictable with a long safety record and costs starting at $600.  There is also evidence that your own collagen is stimulated with these injections as well.  An experienced injector should be able to deliver results that are subtle and look natural with a sense of instant refreshment for the patient.  Waiting a 2 -3 weeks for results that may or may not appear with the “Vampire Facelift” doesn’t seem to be worth the time and trouble.

 

Update on the Cosmetic Procedures Tax: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Friday, January 15th, 2010

As you may the recall, the Senate healthcare reform bill originally proposed a 5% tax on cosmetic medical procedures, which would have unfairly impacted the cost of many elective treatments like Botox and Restylane injections.  However, with encouragement from the Amercian Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the American Medical Association (AMA), public support and other public entities this tax has been replaced in the revised Senate bill.  The new bill proposes a 10% tax on indoor tanning services instead.  Not only will this generate billions of dollars over the next ten years, but it will support public health by discouraging indoor tanning, which is known to cause skin cancer.  Treating skin cancer only adds to healthcare costs and can be prevented.  This tax will help on both fronts.

Both the House and Senate bill are now headed to conference committee hearings for deliberation.

 

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