I just found out about a new treatment for wrinkles that has me outraged and horrified at the same time. It’s called Stimulated Self Serum (S3) therapy. It’s been dubbed the Dracula Therapy, because this botox-like procedure includes drawing your own blood, and spinning it down to serum, red blood cells, and the platelets.
The serum is then fortified with vitamins and amino acids and injected back into your facial skin similar to how a Botox treatment is done.
The therapy was created in London by a doctor who considered what dentists were doing with soft tissue regeneration (cure for receeding gums, etc.), and saw an avenue for use in cosmetic surgery. Fascinating, but kind of Mad Scientist-ish, wouldn’t you say? I see the value in that it is an all-natural therapy except for the serum fortification, but I just can’t bend my mind enough to accept it as something we all should do.
Allegedly, women are finding great results with this, and are experiencing DNA-level repair to their skin, and virtual disappearance of their wrinkles, scars, and other facial lines without the paralysis that Botox can create.
OK ladies…it’s great that it works. Yeah, science! But seriously, where’s the line when it comes to what we will undergo to try and maintain or regain a youthful appearance? Is there even a line? I would love to hear from people on this, because I am sickened at the prospect of having four vials of blood drawn from my arm only to have the serum re-deposited in my face, hands or any other part of my body that is especially wrinkly. Let’s leave this procedure to patients who have suffered excessive physical harm, not have it for purely cosmetic reasons.
I am not naïve, I know people will pay for it. I literally have a puky feeling in my stomach as I write. It was bad enough when I had to receive a similar procedure in getting a blood patch to cure a spinal headache. I’m not about to electively go out and seek someone to do a similar process with countless more injections to my face just so I can look 10 years younger. This is not even considering what the procedure must cost, which was not discussed in the article, but I did find a NY Daily News article that stated it costs a little over $800 per visit, for the initial treatment and doesn’t include follow-ups which should be done every four to six months.
I think I’ll stick with my current skin care regimen, and save the $1,600-2,400 annual expense for other things, like eating right, getting my hair done, massages, and my gym membership which effectively could help diminish the need for said treatments. Let's all try and keep our vanity in check on this one, shall we? What do you think?
Resources:
“Latest Antiaging Craze Dracula Therapy Involves Injecting Your Face with Your Own Blood,” by Nicole Lyn Pesce, NY Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2009/11/02/2009-11-02_latest_antiaging_craze_dracula_therapy_involves_injecting_your_face_with_your_ow.html
“The New Botox: ‘Dracula Therapy’ injects your own blood into your face,” Joanna Douglas, Yahoo! Shine
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/the-new-botox-dracula-therapy-injects-your-own-blood-into-your-face-541420/;_ylt=AsYf7RnXWOA9iP3jW.eSxblabqU5
Christine Jeffries is a writer/editor for work and at heart, and lives in a home of testosterone with her husband and two sons. She started a women’s group, The Wo-Hoo! Society, in the interests of friendship, networking, and philanthropy. The group meets separately on a monthly basis in the Phoenix and Kansas City areas. Christine is interested in women’s health and promoting strong women.