Vampire Breast Lift with Platelet-Rich Plasma?

The Plastic Surgery Channel has discussed it before, but it’s back yet again: The vampire breast lift. “That’s injecting platelet-rich plasma or PRP – which is typically used in orthopedics – popularize,” explains Dr. William P. Adams Jr. of Dallas. The “procedure” involves injected PRP into breast tissue to cause a “lift”. Is there any truth to the procedure?

Instant Breast Lifts

Another similarly trending procedure is injecting saline – or saltwater – into the breasts so that they’ll be bigger for a day or two. This is a real procedure that many patients are seemingly interested in, even though it’s expensive and literally last not more than 48 hours. With the Vampire Breast Lift, the results may be similar but last a bit longer.

“You can do an instant breast lift just by injecting saline or saltwater into the breast and that’ll last a day or two. Actually people do that and charge a ridiculous amount of money for it,” explains Dr. Mark Epstein, a board certified plastic surgeon in Long Island. “This is an extension of that, putting in something that supposedly lasts a little bit longer – some people claim months, even a year or so. It seems safe enough, but I think it’s a lot of money…”

Is there any real lifting when something is just injected? The point of a breast lift is to bring tissues that have fallen up, and sometimes even removal of excess tissue that is too far gone when it comes to the ability to be taut. Why would injection of a material ever be able to solve the problems that a true breast lift seeks to address?

“All you’re going to do is increase volume, you’re not going to get a lift,” says Epstein. “You would have to inject several hundred cc’s to really make a difference in the breast. I don’t know the volume they’re injecting is, but I can’t imagine the results are dramatic enough to warrant the effort and the cost.”

What’s Special About PRP when Used in the Breasts?

PRP has some potential great uses – in other specialties. Perhaps there are some avenues in plastics that would warrant it’s use, but physical lifting?

“In order to get 9 cc’s of PRP you gotta draw about 100cc’s of someone’s blood,” explains Dr. Dan Del Vecchio, a board certified plastic surgeon in Boston. “And it hasn’t been proven to do anything for fat grafting. It hasn’t been proven to do anything for facial rejuvenation. It’s certainly not going to lift anyone’s breast. This is just a crazy operation.”

The verdict is in and the Vampire Breast Lift seems to be yet another marketing ploy aimed at patients looking for a lot for less, and also for potentially unqualified practitioners to capitalize on their desires. While some plastic surgeons may use PRP as an additive in other procedures, attempting to lift the breast with the substance is illogical. Trust an expert to show you the right way to fixing or enhancing your body, rather than opting for the cheap route that may lead you back to the OR anyway.