Vampire Facial (PRP Microneedling): Evidence, Risks, Japan

Direct Answer

A vampire facial is microneedling combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) made from your own blood. The evidence is strongest for acne scars, where adding PRP to microneedling improves results more than microneedling alone. For general anti-ageing and glow, the evidence is weak. In Japan, PRP for the skin counts as regulated regenerative medicine, so a clinic needs a plan notified to the Ministry of Health; and at least one major Japanese clinic sells a “Vampire Facial” that contains no blood at all.

The numbers: in 14 controlled studies of acne scars (472 patients; 4 randomised), adding PRP to microneedling roughly tripled the odds of more than 50% improvement (odds ratio 2.97), with no significant increase in severe redness or swelling. For facial rejuvenation, an overview of 13 systematic reviews found the evidence insufficient for firm conclusions. In Tokyo, one clinic lists microneedling with growth factors as “Vampire Facial” at ¥66,000 and the version with your own PRP at ¥165,000.

1. What a vampire facial actually is

The treatment has two parts. First, a small tube of your blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to separate a layer rich in platelets, the platelet-rich plasma. Platelets carry growth factors involved in wound healing. Second, the skin is treated with microneedling, a pen or roller that makes many tiny punctures, and the PRP is spread over the skin or injected so that it enters through those channels. The idea is that the controlled injury from microneedling and the growth factors from PRP together stimulate collagen.

Three different things are sold under similar names, and it matters which one you are paying for:

What you might be booking

Treatment	What it involves	Your blood?
Microneedling + PRP the original “vampire facial”	Blood drawn, PRP made, microneedling with PRP applied	Yes
PRP injections Japanese: PRP皮膚再生療法	PRP injected into lines or under the eyes, without microneedling	Yes
Microneedling + growth-factor serum	Microneedling with a bottled serum; sometimes sold as “vampire facial” in Japan	No

Three-step illustration of a vampire facial: a small blood sample in a tube, the tube after spinning in a centrifuge with a separated golden plasma layer, and a microneedling pen moving over the skin of the cheek

2. Acne scars: where the evidence is strongest

Most of the controlled research on PRP with microneedling is about atrophic acne scars (dents left by acne). A 2022 meta-analysis of 4 randomised and 10 split-face controlled studies with 472 patients compared microneedling with and without PRP. Adding PRP was associated with higher odds of more than 50% improvement on a standard scar scale (odds ratio 2.97) and higher patient satisfaction (odds ratio 4.15), with no significant difference in severe redness or swelling. A 2020 meta-analysis of eight studies with 311 participants reached the same conclusion for microneedling or subcision with PRP.

PRP is not necessarily the best add-on, though. A 2024 network meta-analysis of 24 randomised trials with 1,546 participants compared microneedling alone and with several additions. Microneedling combined with a chemical peel ranked best for improvement and satisfaction; combinations in general beat microneedling alone, and side effects were similar across treatments. For a full comparison of scar treatments, including lasers and subcision, see our acne scars guide.

3. Anti-ageing and glow: much weaker evidence

Most vampire facials are sold for glow, fine lines and “rejuvenation”, and here the evidence is thin. A 2024 overview of 13 systematic reviews on PRP for facial rejuvenation found they were based on just 28 primary studies, 18 of them uncontrolled. Only one review pooled the data, finding higher satisfaction with PRP as an add-on, at low certainty. The authors concluded that the evidence is insufficient to draw firm conclusions, and rated confidence in 12 of the 13 reviews as low or critically low. A 2023 systematic review was more positive (11 of 12 studies reported improvement) but noted that many outcomes were subjective and called for proper randomised trials.

Japan’s 2021 aesthetic medicine guideline, written by five specialist societies, gives PRP injections alone for facial wrinkles and sagging a weak recommendation (offer it to patients who want it), with a warning to avoid injecting into blood vessels; it did not assess PRP combined with microneedling. In short: a reasonable option if you understand that results are modest and variable, not a proven anti-ageing treatment.

4. Not all PRP is the same

One reason results vary is that “PRP” is not a standard product. A study comparing three preparation methods found significantly different concentrations of platelets, white blood cells and growth factors depending on the system used, and wide variation even between three blood draws from the same person. Clinics use different kits, spin protocols and volumes, so two “PRP facials” can differ a lot. Ask which system the clinic uses and how much PRP is applied or injected.

5. Safety: the clinic matters more than the treatment

Done properly, the common side effects are temporary redness, swelling and pinpoint bleeding; bruising, if it occurs, can take up to about two weeks to fade. One Tokyo clinic describes about a week of redness after microneedling with PRP, strongest for the first 2–3 days; another lists itching, redness and swelling for 3–4 days after PRP injections.

The serious risks come from poor practice. In the United States, a health department and the CDC investigated an HIV cluster linked to vampire facials at an unlicensed spa in New Mexico: four former clients and one sexual partner were diagnosed with closely related HIV strains between 2018 and 2023. The spa did not follow infection-control procedures or keep client records. Because the treatment handles blood and needles, choose a licensed medical clinic and check that needles and blood-handling equipment are single-use.

Avoid PRP with added FGF. Some Japanese clinics have offered PRP mixed with a growth-factor drug, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, trafermin), for wrinkles and under-eye hollows. Japan’s 2021 aesthetic medicine guideline makes a weak recommendation against it (grade 2): it says the combination cannot be recommended lightly, that complications such as hard lumps and bulging at injection sites are often reported, and that injecting bFGF this way is not an appropriate use of the drug. Ask directly: FGFは入っていますか？ (FGF wa haitte imasu ka? “Does it contain FGF?”).

6. PRP rules in Japan: what to check

In Japan, PRP for cosmetic use falls under a specific law. Under the Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine, PRP treatment for wrinkles and sagging is classed as Class 3 regenerative medicine. According to Japan’s 2021 aesthetic medicine guideline, a clinic must have its treatment plan reviewed by a certified regenerative medicine committee and notified to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare before offering it. Notified plans are published on the ministry’s regenerative medicine website, where you can find, for example, one large chain’s patient information document for its PRP skin regeneration treatment.

For a visitor, this gives you a simple check. Ask the clinic for its plan number (再生医療等提供計画番号, saisei iryō tō teikyō keikaku bangō). A legitimate clinic offering PRP should be able to give it. And if a menu says “vampire facial” but no blood is drawn, it is microneedling with a serum, a different and usually cheaper treatment.

7. What it costs in Japan

Vampire facial and PRP prices in Tokyo (tax included, checked 2 Oct 2026)

Treatment	Clinic	Price per session
Microneedling + your own PRP, full face “Vampire Facial PRP”	Takasu Clinic	¥165,000 (plus ¥3,850 needle fee)
Microneedling + growth-factor serum, full face sold as “Vampire Facial”; no blood	Takasu Clinic	¥66,000 · 3 sessions ¥188,100 (plus needle fee)
PRP injections, eye area	Shibuya Cosmetic Surgery Clinic	¥189,750
PRP injections, full face	Shibuya Cosmetic Surgery Clinic	¥253,000
Microneedling only (Dermapen 4), face	TCB Tokyo Central	¥19,800 · 5 sessions ¥79,000

Prices are from the clinics’ own pages and are planning figures, not quotes. Consultation and anaesthetic cream may be extra. Takasu Clinic states that prices for overseas visitors differ from its listed prices; ask for the visitor price in writing. All treatments here are self-pay (自由診療) and not covered by Japanese national insurance; PRP for skin is not an approved treatment in Japan and is provided under a notified regenerative medicine plan. ClinicJapan has no partnership with the clinics listed.

The spread is wide because the treatments differ. Real PRP involves a blood draw, a processing kit and a regulated treatment plan, which is reflected in the price. If a “vampire facial” is much cheaper than the PRP options above, check whether it uses your blood at all. If your goal is acne scars, compare the cost of a PRP course with microneedling alone or combined with a peel, which the 2024 network meta-analysis ranked highly.

Words that help at the clinic. PRP: PRP or 多血小板血漿 (ta-kesshōban kesshō). “Does this use my own blood?”: 自分の血液を使いますか？ (jibun no ketsueki o tsukaimasu ka?). “What is your plan number?”: 再生医療の計画番号を教えてください (saisei iryō no keikaku bangō o oshiete kudasai). More in our clinic phrase guide.

8. Fitting it into a trip

Expect visible redness for several days. Plan the session for early in your trip, before photos and events rather than right before them.
It is a course, not a one-off. One clinic schedules microneedling with PRP every 3–4 weeks. On a single trip you will get one session; decide in advance whether you can continue at home.
Avoid sun and make-up on the day and follow the clinic’s aftercare; use high-SPF sunscreen while the skin heals (see our Japanese sunscreen guide).
Tell the doctor about blood thinners, blood disorders, active acne or skin infections. Do not stop prescribed medicines without asking the doctor who prescribed them.

Illustration of a simple clinic checklist: a document with an official stamp representing a notified regenerative medicine plan, a sealed single-use needle cartridge, and a blood collection tube labelled only by colour

Related concerns. PRP microneedling is mainly used for texture; our guides to large pores and stretch marks show how it compares with other options there. Colour problems such as hyperpigmentation and melasma are covered by different treatments, and if your skin flushes easily, read rosacea treatment first. PRP is also offered under the eyes; our dark circles and eye bags guides cover the main options there.

9. What we would do

Be clear on the goal. For acne scars, PRP with microneedling has decent evidence. For glow and fine lines, expect modest, variable results.
Confirm it is real PRP, from your own blood, and ask for the clinic’s regenerative medicine plan number.
Say no to added FGF, in line with Japan’s guideline.
Compare alternatives for the same goal: microneedling with a peel for scars, or skin boosters such as Rejuran for skin quality.
Choose a licensed medical clinic with single-use equipment, and plan the session early in your trip.

10. FAQ

Does a vampire facial actually work?

For acne scars, the evidence is reasonable: across 14 controlled studies (4 randomised), adding PRP to microneedling roughly tripled the odds of more than 50% improvement (odds ratio 2.97). For general rejuvenation, an overview of 13 systematic reviews found the evidence insufficient for firm conclusions, so results are modest and variable.

Is a vampire facial safe?

At a licensed medical clinic with sterile, single-use equipment, the usual side effects are redness, swelling and pinpoint bleeding for a few days to a week; bruising can take up to about two weeks to fade. The serious risks come from poor infection control: a US investigation linked a cluster of five HIV infections (four spa clients and the sexual partner of one) to vampire facials at an unlicensed spa that did not follow infection-control procedures.

How much does a vampire facial cost in Japan?

At one Tokyo clinic, microneedling with your own PRP costs ¥165,000 for the full face, while a “Vampire Facial” using a growth-factor serum instead of blood costs ¥66,000. Another clinic lists PRP injections at ¥189,750 for the eye area and ¥253,000 for the full face (tax included, checked 2 October 2026).

Is PRP regulated in Japan?

Yes. PRP for wrinkles and sagging is Class 3 regenerative medicine under Japan’s Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine. The clinic’s plan must be reviewed by a certified committee and notified to the Ministry of Health before treatment. Ask for the plan number.

What is PRP with FGF, and should I avoid it?

It is PRP mixed with a growth-factor drug (bFGF, trafermin), offered by some Japanese clinics for wrinkles and under-eye hollows. Japan’s 2021 aesthetic medicine guideline makes a weak recommendation against it, noting that hard lumps and bulging at the injection sites are often reported.

How long is the downtime after a vampire facial?

One Tokyo clinic describes about a week of redness, strongest for the first 2–3 days, with sessions every 3–4 weeks. PRP injections without microneedling may cause itching, redness and swelling for 3–4 days.

11. Sources & Method

Each clinical figure is sourced to a PubMed-indexed paper or Japan’s aesthetic medicine guideline. Every PMID was found by searching PubMed, confirmed against the PubMed record, and the figures were taken from the published abstract. Japanese prices and aftercare are from the clinics’ own pages, checked on 2 October 2026; prices change, so treat them as ranges, not quotes. The “what you might be booking” table, the clinic checks, the trip advice in section 8 and the plan in section 9 are our editorial judgement, based on the sources below, not findings from a single paper.

Peer-reviewed literature and guidelines

Source	Used for
Combined effect of microneedling and PRP for acne scars: meta-analysis (PMID 35237616) Kang & Lu, Front Med, 2022 · 14 studies, 472 patients · accessed 2 Oct 2026	OR 2.97 for >50% improvement; satisfaction OR 4.15; side effects (section 2, FAQ)
PRP in noninvasive procedures for atrophic acne scars: meta-analysis (PMID 32061047) Long et al., J Cosmet Dermatol, 2020 · 8 studies, 311 participants · accessed 2 Oct 2026	Microneedling or subcision with PRP better than without (section 2)
Microneedling and its combinations for acne scars: network meta-analysis (PMID 39110247) Li et al., Arch Dermatol Res, 2024 · 24 RCTs, 1,546 participants · accessed 2 Oct 2026	Microneedling + chemical peel ranked best (sections 2, 7)
Platelet rich plasma for facial rejuvenation: an overview of systematic reviews (PMID 38557322) Cruciani et al., Blood Transfus, 2024 · 13 reviews, 28 primary studies · accessed 2 Oct 2026	Evidence insufficient; low confidence (section 3, FAQ)
Systematic review: PRP use in facial rejuvenation (PMID 36728559) Gentile & Garcovich, Plast Reconstr Surg, 2023 · accessed 2 Oct 2026	11 of 12 studies improved; subjective outcomes (section 3)
Platelet-rich plasma differs according to preparation method and human variability (PMID 22336969) Mazzocca et al., J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2012 · accessed 2 Oct 2026	Variation by system and between draws (section 4)
Presumptive HIV transmission associated with PRP microneedling facials at a spa, New Mexico (PMID 38662678) Stadelman-Behar et al., MMWR, 2024 · accessed 2 Oct 2026	HIV cluster; unlicensed facility; infection control (section 5, FAQ)
美容医療診療指針（令和3年度） Japanese Dermatological Association and four other societies · accessed 2 Oct 2026	PRP alone: weak recommendation; bFGF-added PRP: weak recommendation against; Class 3 notification requirement (sections 3, 5, 6, FAQ)

Japan prices and regulation

Source	Used for
Takasu Clinic — ダーマペン4／ヴァンパイアフェイシャル official page, tax included · accessed 2 Oct 2026	¥165,000 PRP; ¥66,000 growth factor; needle fee; redness, bruising and interval; visitor-price notice (sections 1, 5, 7, 8, FAQ)
Shibuya Cosmetic Surgery Clinic (渋谷美容外科クリニック) — PRP注入皮膚再生療法 official page, tax included · accessed 2 Oct 2026	¥189,750 eye area; ¥253,000 full face; 3–4 days of swelling (sections 5, 7, FAQ)
TCB Tokyo Central Aesthetic Surgery — 料金表 official price list, tax included · accessed 2 Oct 2026	Dermapen 4 ¥19,800 (section 7)
MHLW regenerative medicine site (e-再生医療) — published Class 3 plans · example: Shonan Beauty Clinic Shinjuku, PRP skin regeneration explanation document official registry · accessed 2 Oct 2026	Notified plans are published; example document (section 6)

About this guide: ClinicJapan is editorially independent. Where a clinic named on this site is an advertising partner, that relationship is disclosed on the page where it appears; no clinic named above is a partner, and nobody paid to be included. Prices change and vary by clinic; confirm before booking. PRP and microneedling are medical procedures; discuss your medical history with a doctor before starting them. Informational only; not medical advice, and not a substitute for consultation with a physician.