This is one treatment that could even make Dracula grin from ear-to-ear — stimulated skin self-serum (S3) therapy, popularly known as vampire skin therapy, is fast becoming a rage among those who are looking for non-surgical anti-ageing solutions. Even though it may sound a little gory — this process involves drawing out blood
from the arm or the thigh and injecting this into the face. One of the main reasons why this method is finding takers is that it involves no surgery, laser lights or any other complicated procedure.
According to Dr Daniel Sister, a London-based skin specialist who is credited with introducing this method for cosmetic benefits, this therapy infuses new life into the skin and helps smoothen wrinkles. Apparently, this therapy is not new and it has been used by dentists to treat the problem of receding gums, in cardiovascular surgery and to also treat burn victims. “This therapy is for anyone who wants to improve their skin. But the thing is that this is not restricted to skin alone. The S3 therapy can even be used to treat other issues like hair loss and it has proven to be very effective in these areas too.” The process of injecting out the blood helps stimulate DNA, which is very important to slow down ageing, apart from this the process also acts as a natural detox for the blood stream and helps in tackling various skin-related, internal issues. “What happens is that the blood is taken from the arm or thigh. Then it is separated into different categories based on elements like red blood cells, collagen formation, amino acids and so on. Later this is injected into the face or any other area that needs help. The ‘new’ blood helps to stimulate the DNA and accelerates the oxidation process which is very essential for healing the skin above it,” explains Dr Shekar Mahtani, a skin specialist and cosmetic surgeon.
What makes this treatment such a hit is the fact that there are no foreign influences being used. “You can’t be allergic to your own blood and we don’t use things like Botox or any other fillers in the treatment,” says Dr Sister adding, “There are no scars or marks that are left by the treatment either. A patient just experiences slight swelling which wears off after a while.” Inspired by celeb skin, many women and men opt for this treatment. “The only reason why doctors recommend this procedure to those who come asking for skin that glows like Angelina Jolie or like Aishwarya Rai’s, and who have very sensitive skin, is because in essence it is an internal process,” says Dr Shekar. However, like any other treatment this one too needs adequate follow-up. “After a while the ‘new’ blood cells lose their novelty and become similar to the existing ones. The gap between sessions differs from person to person and depends on several other factors too. But if it is done well, then this lasts for almost eight months to a year,” he adds.
Looks like the fascination with vampires is something that is not going to fade away anytime soon.