Some people cringe when we mention the vampire facial, but this is a treatment that offers amazing results.
Our clients always ask which treatments really work. We all want instant gratification, but can be scared by new technologies or procedures that might seem invasive or extreme. Our Factor4 treatment is one of our favourites, as it gives fantastic results while utilising some of the industry’s best technology to give the skin the TLC it really needs.
About the treatment
This treatment is often referred to as the vampire facial and talk of it spread like wildfire across the internet after Kim Kardashian shared the process on her social channels. Factor4 is one of our best anti-ageing offerings, with technology allowing a clinician to use the proteins from your blood to help rejuvenate the skin, giving it the ultimate boost and refresh.
What does it do?
The biggest benefits of Factor4 are the renewal and rejuvenation of the skin’s surface, which helps improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Improved elasticity gives the skin a boost that can also reduce pore size and scars, as the skin texture improves and gives a more youthful appearance overall. Factor4 has also been used to help the appearance of stretch marks.
How does it work?
The thought of using your own blood for a facial treatment might make some queasy, but we simply take a small sample that is then incubated, spun and filtered to produce a highly concentrated serum. The serum is four times richer in growth factor than the original blood, which is where Factor4 gets its name.
Your skin is then micro-needled in a painless and minimally invasive process that barely breaks the skin’s surface. The skin begins its healing process, during which it releases growth factors stimulating the production of collagen and elastin. We then use your own Factor4 serum, applying it to the skin to further increase the collagen and elastin production.
About the Factor4 serum
Factor4 applied to the skin is a pure serum – nothing else is added once the blood has been spun and filtered. It is high in growth factors and cytokines (small proteins that affect cell signalling). This is what is called an autologous conditioning serum (ACS).
Some clients are concerned about the extraction of blood, but we take a maximum of 50ml. The resulting serum is portioned and frozen, and we’ll usually get enough for four treatments.
What is the downtime?
You’ll see some effects after your Factor4 treatment – skin redness can persist for 24 to 48 hours after treatment. There can also be mild bruising and swelling of the delicate skin around eyes and lips, but after 48 hours there should be minimal evidence of the procedure.
We also recommend limiting exercise and sweating, and washing your face, for 12 hours after treatment. During the following three to five days, the skin should be moisturised three to five times a day as it may become drier (this is completely normal).
How quickly will I see results?
You will enjoy instant results with this treatment, however we recommend a course of at least four – one every five to 10 days – to get best results.
FAQs
What parts of my body can I treat with Factor4?
Most people have Factor4 on the face, but it can also be used on the décolletage, neck and backs of hands, which all benefit from skin rejuvenation.
Factor4 is a popular treatment for joints, helping those with sports injuries or even arthritis. The treatment is also used to help Erectile Dysfunction and Vaginal Rejuvenation. All variations of the Factor4 regeneration treatment are available at The Harley Clinic from the team of medical experts.
How painful is it?
Micro-needling is a relatively pain-free process, but some clients prefer to apply a topical anesthetic cream in advance. Discuss this with your clinician before your treatment.