"Twilight" Zone

(This is a response to an article in the New York Times titled "‘Vampire Face-Lifts’: Smooth at First Bite." The author was Catherine Saint Louis. You can find the article here.)


The lust for looking youthful dominates American culture. Television shows fill the airwaves of prime time television. Shows such as Real Housewives and Nip/Tuck show the product of altered bodies and faces. Botox and collagen fillers are among numerous products that dramatically change outward appearances. Being young is looked at as glamourous, and people are taking great lengths to stay youthful. 


With the recent release of the Twilight series, customers have a new love for vampires. Vampires are eternal and said to have forever-young skin. A new cosmetic treatment has been released to fill in wrinkles. This treatment is called the "vampire filler" or "vampire face lift." It has been promoted on "The Rachael Ray Show" and "The Doctors."

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It is not a surgery. The procedure is done in the office and takes about thirty minutes. Blood is drawn from the patient's arm. It is then spun in a centrifuge, and the platelets are separated. They are injected into the patient's face in hopes of new collagen production. This process is called Selphyl, and has been used by around 300 doctors. 


A patient of a Selphyl "vampire-lift" Joan Sarlo said, "We all want to look better, but the less unnatural the better. What could be better than your own blood?" 

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The F.D.A. has not approved Selphyl to be marketed for facial rejuvenation yet. There is also a lack of research. The product came out in 2009. The procedure costs $900 to $1,500. Most people are not willing to shell out the big bucks for a product doctors are unsure of. 


The president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Dr. Phil Haeck said, "There are no scientific studies, only personal attestations. This is another gimmick that people are using to make themselves stand out on the Internet in a real dog-eat-dog part of medicine."


The patients are the ones to decide whether or not to take the risk. Until the F.D.A. approves this product, the danger of Selphyl is very real. Although there have been no recorded failures, the issue of a freak accident could occur. The plastic surgeons are out to make money. This is now one of the most expensive procedures on the market due to the lack of fillers. It is 'natural' because it uses the patient's own blood. Dying to be young or not, I would not become a vampire.