Vampire facelifts: This is a trend?

Sorry, come again?

Apparently if I kept up with the Kardashians (snort) I'd already be aware that as bizarre as they sound, Vampire Facelifts are a seemingly legitimate, registered and trademarked procedure.

Before you go Googling, take a second to think about what the name implies.

Vampire. Facelift.

(Are you trading your soul for eternally magnificent skin? What does the finished product even look like?)

Like those sparkling Cullens from the "Twilight" series, that - regardless of how idiotic they might be - were portrayed as genuinely good-looking?

Or Vampire as in Bela Lugosi in "Dracula"?

Not a bad looking cat, but that's not what I want my face to look like. 

Personally, when you start mixing mythical creatures like vampires with modern beauty procedures, I can't help but envision something like this:

Those cheekbones. The brows. Amazing.

So I'm going to need some clarification on what type of vampire we're talking about.

Thankfully, Carolina Wellness's Maria Hamrick - licensed esthitician, medical assistant and laser technician - took the time to walk me through what the Vampire Facelift entails.

The short version: A patient’s own blood is drawn, spun through a centrifuge and the resulting platelets are re-injected – in combination with a hyaluronic acid such as Restylne or Juvéderm – at strategic points in the face, Hamrick said. That includes deep wrinkles and saggy skin that’s dull or grayish.

Lauded by fans as an alternative to Botox, the Vampire Facelift has been around at least since 2011 and allegedly improves skin tone and color, as well as lift saggy skin and fill lines and wrinkles. But critics call it a gimmick, with results comparable to other injectable dermal fillers.

If you head over to Vampirefacelift.com, the site spells out each step of the procedure. (The best is probably No. 3: "Injecting the magic into your face." WHAT?!)

So how much blood are we talking? About two teaspoons, Hamrick said, adding it’s the hyaluronic acid that provides immediate results. Apparently it can take a week or two before the "magic," erm, PRP, produces visible results.

A Vampire Facelift runs about $1,500 and is not something insurance covers, Hamrick said. But the entire session – which includes sitting for 30 minutes with a numbing cream on the face and about 10 minutes for the blood work, followed by injections – takes an hour tops with no downtime, Hamrick said.

Happy Halloween.