Your face is the first part of your body to begin showing signs of aging. Wrinkles form, your cheeks lose volume, and sun damage becomes more evident. If you’re worried about how the years have affected your face, a facelift can give you renewed confidence. And thanks to regenerative medicine, nonsurgical options are now available.

In Columbia, Missouri, Dr. Bonnie S. Friehling provides the Vampire Facelift® to give you a renewed and refreshed look without going under the knife. It’s holistic, safe, and organic, using the replenishing power of your own platelets to rejuvenate your skin. On top of plumping out your skin and giving your face a more youthful look, this treatment goes a long way toward repairing sun damage and other blemishes like acne scars.

How and why your face ages

Before you can address how to undo the effects of aging, it’s important to understand how and why your body ages. The two primary causes of aging in the face are sun damage and the loss of important building blocks called collagen and elastin.

Sun damage

80% of visible aging on the face is caused by exposure to UV rays. Despite this, many people don’t make a habit of putting sunscreen on their faces every time they leave the house, and the effects of sun damage can accumulate over the years.

Loss of collagen and elastin

Collagen and elastin help make your skin supple and elastic. The body produces these proteins, but production declines over time starting in your early 20s, and by the time you reach 40, you lose about 1% more per year. This causes wrinkles, creases, loss of volume, and sagging features.

How the Vampire Facelift works

While you can’t turn back time and force your younger self to wear sunscreen more often, you can reverse the effects of aging and sun damage using cosmetic medicine. A procedure like the Vampire Facelift can replace the lost volume and stimulate the production of the missing proteins.

Hyaluronic acid (HA)

HA, which is naturally produced in your body, has a “liquid facelift” effect when used as a dermal filler. It tightens and plumps the face, filling in wrinkles and giving your skin a smoother appearance. This treatment can be combined with another natural, injectable substance called “PRP,” which is created from your own blood to promote healing.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

PRP is made using your own blood, which is put through a centrifuge to isolate the platelet-rich plasma. Your body will readily accept the injections of your own plasma and begin using the platelets, which are rich in growth factors, to repair the skin and kick-start production of new collagen and elastin. This creates a long-lasting, rejuvenating effect, filling in both wrinkles and other blemishes like acne scars by rebuilding the underlying skin structure.

If you’d like to learn more about the Vampire Facelift, schedule a consultation by calling 573-446-1200 or by visiting our contact page.