A PRP facial in Islamabad with Dr. Umbreen Munir Minhas pairs microneedling with platelet-rich plasma from your own blood, aiming to improve skin texture, shallow acne scars and dullness.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Umbreen Munir Minhas, MBBS, FCPS (Plastic Surgery). Last updated October 2026.
Popularly called the vampire facial, it uses a microneedling pen to make tiny channels in the skin, then spreads platelet-rich plasma over them. Platelets release growth factors linked to skin repair.
This page covers skin treatment only. PRP for thinning hair is a different treatment with its own evidence and its own page.
Rolling and shallow boxcar scars leave an uneven surface. Microneedling breaks up scar tissue and PRP may help the skin rebuild collagen.
Oily skin, sun and old breakouts leave a coarse surface. A course of sessions smooths texture and makes pores look smaller.
Skin that has lost its glow after stress, illness or poor sleep can look fresher as the healing response renews the surface.
Some people prefer a treatment made from their own blood, with no synthetic filler or chemical left in the skin afterwards.
People with shallow acne scars and texture changes, rather than deep, narrow ice pick scars.
People with early fine lines and dullness who want a gradual, natural-looking change.
Microneedling spares the outer layer, so it carries less pigment risk than many lasers.
Active acne, skin infection, blood disorders, blood thinners or pregnancy. These need a different plan.
Change is gradual and builds over a course. A meta-analysis of 472 patients found that adding PRP to microneedling raised the odds of clinical improvement. Photos below are shared with consent.
Dr. Umbreen examines your scars, texture and skin type, and asks about blood thinners, cold sores and recent acne medicines before planning.
Avoid aspirin, fish oil and alcohol for some days before. Stop retinoids a few days earlier and come with clean skin and no makeup.
Numbing cream is applied while a small tube of blood is drawn and spun to separate the plasma. The skin is microneedled and the PRP is spread over it.
The face looks red, like a sunburn. A gentle cream is applied, and you leave without makeup for the rest of the day.
| Time After Treatment | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Same day | Redness, warmth and mild swelling. |
| 24 to 48 hours | Redness fades to pink. Skin feels tight. |
| Week 1 | Light flaking, then skin looks fresher. |
| Weeks 2 to 4 | Next session of the course can be planned. |
| Long term | Texture and scars keep improving for months. |
Avoid makeup, the gym and swimming pools for a day, and keep strong sun off your face while the skin settles.
Side effects are usually mild because PRP comes from your own blood. Evidence is still mixed: one 36-patient split-face study found no significant difference from microneedling alone.
It cannot lift sagging skin, fill deep folds or remove deep ice pick scars. Melasma and active acne need their own treatment first.
Your fee is confirmed after assessment, once the number of sessions is agreed. Ask for one written price for the full course.
| Factor | How It Affects Your Fee |
|---|---|
| Preparation kit | Kits and centrifuges differ in cost. |
| Sessions | Scars usually need a course. |
| Area | Adding neck or chest raises the fee. |
| Combined treatment | Pairing with peels or subcision is extra. |
When comparing vampire facial cost, ask whether the plasma is prepared from a fresh blood draw on the day and how it is spun.
Micro-needling is among her listed services, and her scar and burns work gives her close knowledge of how skin repairs. Women can discuss skin concerns privately with a female doctor.
Microneedling alone uses the same needle pen with a sterile serum instead of PRP.
| Feature | PRP Microneedling | Microneedling Alone |
|---|---|---|
| Applied to skin | Your own plasma | Sterile serum |
| Blood draw | Yes | No |
| Redness afterwards | Similar | Similar |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
| Evidence of extra benefit | Modest, studies vary | Proven on its own |
In practice, microneedling alone gives most of the improvement. PRP is an option if you want every possible gain and accept the extra cost.
Dr. Umbreen sees patients privately at Omer Diagnostic & Specialist Clinics (ODC), 12-A, LG Floor, CBC Plaza, G-8 Markaz, Islamabad, Monday to Friday, 3:00 to 5:00 PM.
Eat a normal meal and drink water before your visit, and bring a list of your medicines and skin creams.
Choose a doctor who draws and prepares your blood on the day, uses sterile single-use needles and explains the evidence honestly. Avoid home-visit or salon offers.
Numbing cream makes microneedling feel like light scratching. The blood draw is a quick pinch, and the skin feels sunburnt for a few hours afterwards.
Scar improvement is long lasting once new collagen has formed. Glow and texture gains slowly fade with age and sun, so occasional maintenance sessions help keep them.
One split-face study used 4 sessions spaced a month apart, which is a common course. Dr. Umbreen reviews your skin after each session before planning the next.
The plasma is prepared in a similar way, but it is used differently. Skin PRP is combined with microneedling, while hair PRP is injected into the scalp.
Not while acne is active, because needling can spread bacteria. Acne is treated first, and PRP microneedling is used later for the scars it left.
Patient guides on skin treatments from Dr. Umbreen’s blog.
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