How They Work and My Experience

You may have heard of vampire facials, but did you know you can get a similar procedure on your breasts? That’s right, “vampire” breast lifts are an option for those looking for a non-invasive procedure that boosts fullness and improves skin texture with minimal downtime. “A vampire breast lift is a procedure in which a patient’s own growth factors are injected into the breast to temporarily augment or enlarge the breast and, theoretically, improve skin quality,” Dr. Evan Garfein, a board-certified plastic surgeon, tells Byrdie. In other words, your own blood is injected into your breasts.

It is a popular option among those who have lost volume with time and want a natural-looking lift after changes in weight or breastfeeding. Vampire breast lifts offer less downtime and pose less risks than traditional breast augmentations. Still, experts warn those with breast disorders, cancer or a history of cancer, as well as those who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding not to get a vampire breast lift. We’ve reached out to board-certified plastic surgeons and experts in the field for a full explainer on the procedure. Keep reading for everything to know and expect—including a patient review—when getting a vampire breast lift.

What Is a Vampire Breast Lift?

A vampire breast lift is a procedure during which your own blood is injected into your breasts to improve skin texture and make them appear fuller. “The vampire breast lift is a procedure that utilizes the patient’s own growth factors through a process called PRP, or platelet-rich plasma,” Dr. Grover says. “The purpose of it is to induce tissue and collagen remodeling within the breast tissue. It helps to bring back firmness and youthfulness, as well as a slight lift.”

Dr. Grover adds that the procedure is especially popular with women who have lost firmness in their breasts, often due to aging, hormonal or postpartum changes. “The main purpose is to stimulate rejuvenation of the breast, as the PRP is thought to enhance the external or skin appearance of the breast,” Dr. Shafer adds. “This is a similar effect to popular PRP treatments for the face and décolletage.”  

Vampire Breast Lifts vs. Traditional Breast Lifts

The vampire breast lift is an alternative to undergoing traditional breast lift surgery. “With a traditional breast lift procedure, even if you’re not dealing with implants, it’s still an invasive procedure,” Dr. Grover says. “A big turnoff for a lot of women is not only the downtime and surgical risks, but [also] the aesthetic aspect of the type of scarring that’s formed. There’s substantial scarring.” 

Although vampire breast lifts present significantly less risks and are less time consuming, they don’t give the same result. “The vampire breast lift is a misnomer as the procedure does not ‘lift’ the breasts,” Dr. Shafer says. “The only possible effect is improving the skin quality. True breast lift procedures, or mastopexy,s use surgical excision and tightening to transform the breast shape, location, and position of the nipple and areola, which is just not possible with the vampire breast lift.” 

Before moving forward with any sort of breast lift, Dr. Garfein recommends making sure it’s the right procedure for you. “As with all cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, the ideal strategy is to fit the solution to the problem,” he says. Basically, if the sagging breast is caused by more skin and less breast volume, the solution is to tighten the skin envelope or augment the breast volume—PRP doesn’t really do either in the long term. “Patients may get a temporary benefit from the injection of fluid into the breast to ‘reinflate’ the breast volume, but this will not last. In terms of value for the dollar spent, patients with sagging breasts can do better.”

Benefits of Vampire Breast Lifts

Although the name of the procedure may make it sound intimidating, there are a variety of benefits to getting a vampire breast lift.

• There is minimal downtime and recovery. “There’s no real downtime with the vampire breast lift,” Barshop says. “Afterwards, patients literally walk out. It’s almost like Botox.”
• It is non-invasive. Unlike a breast augmentation, a vampire breast lift doesn’t involve incisions or anesthesia. Instead, it uses needles to draw blood and re-inject PRP into the target areas.
• It uses your body’s own plasma. “PRP is very en vogue for a variety of reasons—the idea of using one’s own proteins to ‘heal’ oneself is intrinsically attractive,” Dr. Garfein says. You won’t have to worry about deflation or leaks as you may with implants. The plasma helps your breasts achieve additional fullness on their own.
• It can improve the appearance of skin conditions. “There are numerous factors in PRP that individually and in combination have been shown in various experimental models and some clinical models to improve certain conditions, like scarring and thinning of the dermis,” Dr. Garfein says. Discuss your options with your medical provider in order to target your specific concerns.
• It offers natural-looking results. “Some women will come in wanting a very substantial lift, and that’s when I refer them to surgery,” Dr. Grover says. “But a lot of women come in for natural-looking results. They don’t actually want anything that mimics or looks like an implant or any type of surgery. The aesthetic has changed over the years, so they’re willing to take something that’s not so obvious that anything’s been done.”

Potential Side Effects

Although there are few side effects to getting a vampire breast lift, they still may occur.

• Swelling and bruising. This is common and something patients can expect following the procedure. “Most commonly, a patient can expect minimal swelling and possible bruising,” Dr. Shafer says.
• Pain at the injection site. You may experience some pain or discomfort where the PRP is injected into the breast. If the pain worsens or doesn’t subside, reach out to your medical provider.
• Hematoma. “There is always the risk of a hematoma or collection of blood within the breast from unintentional damage to a blood vessel,” Dr. Garfein says. 
• Pneumothorax, or a collapsed lung. This is a very rare complication to keep in mind. “What can happen is if a needle gets too close to the ribcage, it could create a slight puncture that can then cause air to be leaked from the the lung, and it can get trapped,” Dr. Grover says. “That can cause a lot of discomfort. As long as you have a very skilled injector, [this is unlikely to happen].” 

How to Prepare for a Vampire Breast Lift

Vampire breast lifts require little preparation. “There are no specific precautions or preparations other than having a candid conversation with your plastic surgeon about your goals and expectations to make sure the vampire breast lift will meet what you are seeking,” Dr. Shafer says. However, there are steps you can take to ensure best results.

• Avoid taking anything that constitutes a blood thinner for a non-urgent issue, such as aspirin or supplements like vitamin E or fish oil. This may increase chances of bruising, Dr. Grover says.
• Eat well and make sure you aren’t dehydrated. “The day before and the day of, eat generously and don’t have anything that’s too dehydrating—such as alcohol or caffeine—because when we take your blood, we want it to be a substantial amount so those growth factors will be concentrated,” she adds. “When someone comes in very dehydrated, or they just didn’t eat so much the day of or the day before, it’s harder to draw their blood as a result.”

What to Expect During a Vampire Breast Lift

The vampire breast lift is a minimally invasive procedure involving needle injections. “The first stage is to withdraw the blood from the patient’s vein, such as when you have labs taken,” Dr. Shafer says. “The blood is then processed with special solutions and vials in a centrifuge to separate the PRP layers from the other components. The PRP layer is then isolated and injected back into the patient for the area of treatment.”  

Before the procedure starts, you’ll be numbed topically to minimize discomfort. Then, injections take about 30 minutes. “It’s not substantial pain, but there is discomfort because we are injecting the breast tissue,” Dr. Grover says. “It’s very comparable, in my opinion, to Botox and fillers.” 

Aftercare

Keep in mind that final results may take weeks or months after the initial procedure. “The recovery is fast, and patients can generally resume normal activities almost immediately,” Dr. Shafer says. “Patients should not expect an immediate or dramatic result. Any immediate improvement can likely be attributed to mild swelling. The long-term effects of the vampire breast lift would be evident over weeks to months after the procedures.”

Although vampire breast lifts offer minimal downtime, experts have advice regarding recovery:

• Avoid anti-inflammatory medications. “Avoid any type of anti-inflammatories, such aspirin,” Dr. Grover says. “If the patient does have any type of discomfort, they can take Tylenol to help alleviate that.”
• Wear an underwire bra. “We also request that the patient wear an underwire bra for about five straight days, both day and night, to support the breasts after being injected with all this volume,” Dr. Grover adds.
• Don’t drink alcohol for 48h and avoid heavy exercise for a week. Both of these activities may inhibit the repair process.

One Patient’s Experience

Jen was looking to boost her breasts after weight fluctuation and nursing two children. “While I am becoming stronger and more confident, I felt that with age and having children, I noticed a lot of change in my breasts overall, and it’s something that always hindered me,” she tells Byrdie. “Kind of as a joke, I always said when I turn 40, I’m gonna get a mommy makeover—I’m gonna get my boobs done because I’m working so hard, but I’m just not where I want to be as far as my confidence level goes. It’s something that I always wanted to do, but I’m terrified of being put under.” 

“My breasts had really lost their shape,” Jen added. “I went from always having a fuller cup to breasts that felt a little saggy and sad. I wanted to try something before going under the knife that would make me feel more confident.” Three months after the procedure—which Dr. Grover performed—Jen’s bra size hadn’t changed, but her breasts filled out the cups of her bra. “You can tell that my breasts are becoming more dense and filled out,” she said.

For Jen, undergoing a vampire breast lift was well worth it and corresponded to her lifestyle. “I’m very active, I’m a mom to two, I have a full-time job, and the zero downtime was important,” she says. “When you look at a breast augmentation, you’re out of commission for a significant time. I think injection is the future—it’s kind of like hacking your way to new boobs. [By using PRP], you’re not putting anything foreign into your body. I think it’s a really amazing, non-invasive procedure. It’s like an optimization versus a significant change. Now, I feel much more confident.”

The Final Takeaway

Vampire breast lifts can be a good option for improving the fullness and skin appearance of breasts. It isn’t as invasive as a traditional breast lift but offer different and less permanent results. “On the one hand, injecting a theoretically innocuous fluid that comes from the patient’s own blood seems to be quite safe,” Dr. Garfein says. “On the other hand, since it is not clear that this procedure will result in any significant long-term benefit, one could ask whether spending the money and going through the discomfort is worthwhile. If a patient wants fuller or larger breasts or has ptosis of the breast, this is probably not the best value. If a patient wishes to undergo a relatively innocuous procedure to ‘try on’ a larger breast size, this may fit the bill.” Experts says the procedure is not for everyone. Those with breast disorders, cancer or a history of cancer, as well as individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid getting the procedure.