PRP facial results: evidence vs hype

A PRP facial uses the platelet-rich part of your own blood, placed back into the skin of your face or under your eyes in the same appointment. Some people see smoother, fresher-looking skin over a course. The research behind that is thin and of low certainty, and we would rather tell you so than sell you a vampire.

What a PRP facial is

You have a small amount of blood taken, as at a blood test. The tube is spun in a centrifuge so the plasma and platelets separate from the red cells. That platelet-rich plasma is then injected in small amounts into the skin, or applied onto the skin after microneedling. The whole thing happens in one appointment, with your own blood, prepared on the day and never stored.

The theory is that platelets release growth factors that nudge skin cells into more activity, and that this shows up as better texture and tone over a few weeks. That is the theory. Whether it reliably shows up on faces, in a way you would notice in the mirror, is the question the research has not settled.

At Nova, PRP is a cosmetic treatment for skin texture, tone, fine lines and the look of tired under-eyes. It is not a filler, it does not add volume, and it does not treat a medical condition. Those words are chosen carefully, and the next section explains why.

What the evidence actually shows

The most useful single document is a 2024 overview in the journal Blood Transfusion that gathered 13 systematic reviews on PRP for facial rejuvenation, covering 28 original studies between them. Eighteen of those 28 studies had no control group at all; they were case reports or case series (Cruciani et al, 2024). The authors' conclusion is one sentence: "The available evidence is insufficient to suggest firm conclusions."

Only one of the 13 reviews pooled numbers. It found that people given PRP as an add-on to another treatment rated their satisfaction a little higher than controls, a mean difference of 0.63 on the scale used, with a confidence interval of 0.25 to 1, from three randomised trials. The certainty of that finding was rated low, because of risk of bias and inconsistency between the trials (Cruciani et al, 2024).

Two more things from the same overview. The studies used anywhere from one to six sessions, so there is no evidence-based answer to "how many do I need". And side effects were a planned outcome in only 2 of the 13 reviews, so the reassuring side-effect picture may be partly an absence of looking.

So the honest summary of PRP facial results is this: a small, low-certainty signal that people feel a bit happier with their skin, mostly when PRP is combined with something else, and no firm evidence of how much it changes the skin itself or how long that lasts. That is not nothing. It is also not what the hashtags say.

Why we only call it cosmetic

The words matter legally as well as honestly. The UK medicines regulator takes the view that "vampire facials" are usually provided to improve appearance and are cosmetic, and that PRP becomes a medicinal product as soon as medicinal claims are made for it (JCCP, 2026; MHRA position via CSP, 2023). Claiming to regrow hair, for example, is a medicinal claim.

PRP is unlicensed for most indications, and the JCCP's 2026 guidance says patients must be told so (JCCP, 2026). You will hear it from us at consultation. It also means you should be wary of any clinic promising that PRP "heals", "repairs" or "treats" anything on the face. Either they are overclaiming, or they are offering an unlicensed medicine without saying so.

For the same reason, this post does not cover PRP for hair loss. Nova is not offering scalp PRP at present.

Who it suits, and who it does not

PRP suits someone who likes the idea of a treatment made from their own blood with nothing synthetic added, who wants a modest improvement in texture and the look of the under-eye area, and who can accept uncertainty about how much it will do. It pairs sensibly with microneedling; the pooled trials looked at PRP as an add-on to another treatment, not on its own (Cruciani et al, 2024).

It does not suit anyone under 18, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a bleeding or platelet disorder, anyone with active cancer, a blood-borne infection, a current infection, cold sore or skin flare in the area, or anyone who wants volume, lift or a result they can see on the day. Blood thinners need a conversation first and are never stopped for a cosmetic treatment without the agreement of whoever prescribes them. If what bothers you is hollowness under the eyes rather than texture, a polynucleotide or a filler consultation is more likely to answer it, and we will say so.

Risks and recovery

Common and short-lived: in 320 people across 16 studies, about two thirds had pain or burning lasting minutes to an hour, redness settled within days, and swelling and tenderness were less common and gone within a week (Cruciani et al, 2024). Add bruising at the injection and blood-draw sites, and feeling faint when blood is taken. Under the eyes can look puffy for several days, so do not book just before an event.

Rare but serious, from the JCCP's list for PRP: infection, including sepsis, if the technique is not sterile; a blocked blood vessel, which can damage skin and, around the area between the eyebrows and the eyes, affect vision; and blood-borne virus transmission if equipment is reused. A clinic in New Mexico was closed after HIV transmissions linked to reused equipment (JCCP, 2026, citing the CDC). The guidance says PRP kits and tubes must be CE or UKCA marked, registered medical devices made for PRP, and that ordinary blood-test tubes are not intended for anything to be put back into the body (JCCP, 2026). Ask any clinic what kit they use. We will show you ours.

There is no reversal injection for PRP, so under-eye and glabella work is done with small volumes and respect for the anatomy. Avoid anti-inflammatory painkillers for a week either side unless they are prescribed, because they blunt platelet function.

Price at Nova: PRP face or under eye 220. Ask about the course of three, usually about four weeks apart.

FAQ

Does a PRP facial work?

Sometimes, modestly, for texture and tone. The best available overview found the evidence insufficient for firm conclusions, with one low-certainty finding of slightly higher patient satisfaction when PRP was added to another treatment (Cruciani et al, 2024).

What results can I expect from a vampire facial?

A gradual change in smoothness and freshness over the weeks after the second and third sessions, if it works for you. It will not add volume or lift. How long any change lasts is not well established.

How many PRP sessions do I need?

Studies used one to six (Cruciani et al, 2024). We offer a course of three, reviewed at each session, and tell you plainly at the end what we see.

Is PRP low risk?

It is your own blood, so allergy to the plasma itself is not the issue. The risks are infection, a blocked vessel, and contamination if a clinic cuts corners on kit (JCCP, 2026). The kit and the technique are what you should ask about.

Does PRP help dark circles?

It can improve the look of tired, crepey under-eye skin. It does not treat the causes of dark circles, and it does not fill a hollow.

Can I have PRP for hair loss at Nova?

Not at present. This post is about the face only.

This is information, not medical advice. What suits you depends on your own history and your own skin, so book a free consultation.

For how the plasma is prepared, what we use it for and who it does not suit, see our PRP, PRF and plasma biofiller page.

Book a free consultation: novabeautyclinic.com or WhatsApp 077 21 400 600.