Firm, healthy breasts are a sign of youth – and an asset most women would like to preserve as long as possible. While surgery is always an option to get that lift and fullness that many women crave, wouldn’t you prefer a simple, noninvasive outpatient approach? If you’re among the large percentage of the population who answered “yes” to that question, the vampire breast lift could be for you.

Not so fast, you might be thinking. How do I know this procedure won’t have detrimental side effects? How can I be sure it’s safe for my health and will be worth the investment?

Excellent questions to ask. We will look at what a vampire breast lift is and who it is right for, what results you can expect from the procedure, what side effects (if any) might you see following it and if it is worth it.

What is a Vampire Breast Lift?

“For some women who have breastfed or simply with general aging, the cleavage loses firmness,” Dr. Herbert Hooi, medical director of Cosmetic MD, is quoted as saying by Fox News. “The shape of the breast tends to fall as the breast tissue descends and breast and nipple sensitivity also decreases, which is all part of the aging process.”

This is largely due to the fact that your body loses the ability to remove metabolic waste ingredients, replenish cells, oxygenate the area and otherwise engage in processes it did easily when you were younger. By injecting a simple substance from your own body into the site, however, you fix those issues. The substance immediately brings new blood, hormones and growth factors to the area, which helps you produce collagen, regenerate cells and plump the area.

The basics of a vampire breast lift are pretty simple. The procedure relies on PRP technology. This stands for “platelet-rich plasma,” a substance isolated from your blood. Here’s how it works:

          1. Your physician inserts a needle in your arm and withdraws blood
          2. The physician uses a centrifuge to isolate the plasma, or the blood’s carrier fluid, removing large blood cells but leaving in platelets –                           cells without nuclei whose job is to help in clotting and regeneration
          3. The doctor then injects this solution back into your body, depending on the region you would like to firm up – in this case, the breasts
          4. You go home same day
          5. Recovery takes between 24 and 72 hours, rarely longer

The body immediately starts repairing the area. It gets rid of old cells, toxins and metabolic byproducts. It prompts healthy cells to divide and regenerate. It encourages the growth of blood vessels and the production of collagen, and it all happens pretty quickly.

Who is the Vampire Breast Lift Right For?

Because of the extremely limited nature of side effects, the vampire breast lift can work well for almost anyone. The only substance put into your body came from it in the first place, which means you’re very unlikely to have a negative reaction or rejection of the treatment. Therefore, medical conditions are, for the most part, not a consideration.

More importantly, the vampire breast lift works for women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, who have noticed sagging and wrinkles but still have some of their own firmness left. Once that firmness is largely gone, as happens in the 70s, a more extreme treatment may be called for.

What Results Can You Expect?

 “This option provides women with shapelier breasts, decreases skin sag, reduces wrinkles and increases sensation in the breasts,” reports Dr. Hooi. Within a matter of weeks, you produce more collagen, your breasts firm and lift, your cleavage looks more distinct and your skin smooths out – leaving fewer dimples and wrinkles behind.

Best of all, these results continue over time. PRP prompts your body to continue producing new collagen and other nutrients on its own, so the cycle is self-perpetuating. Upshot: The results of one treatment may last for years.

Are there Side Effects?

No discussion of the vampire breast lift would be complete, of course, without mention of the side effects. Though minimal, they do exist.

First, it’s important to note that there are no serious side effects of which to be aware. Although the occasional injection may engender an infection (if the needle or your skin were improperly sterilized, for instance), this is no likelier to occur from PRP therapy than from a flu shot.

More likely, you will experience some or all of these initial recovery symptoms:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Bruising

As you can see, all are very mild, and will most likely have dissipated by three days after the treatment, meaning you can go back to work and other activities as normal.