Vampire Facial vs Salmon Sperm Facial: PRP or PDRN for Your Skin?

What is a vampire facial?

A vampire facial is microneedling finished with platelet-rich plasma, or PRP. The appointment starts with a small blood draw from your arm. That vial goes into a centrifuge, which spins it at high speed until the platelets and plasma separate from the red blood cells. Platelets are the repair crew of your blood. The Cleveland Clinic notes they carry growth factors that drive new skin cells, collagen, and elastin.

The concentrated plasma is then spread across your face while a microneedling device creates thousands of tiny channels, letting those growth factors reach the deeper layers where repair happens. Because the serum comes from your own body, there’s no foreign substance involved. Infinite Medical Spa also uses the same plasma science in its PRP and PRF treatments for skin and hair.

What is a salmon sperm facial?

A salmon sperm facial swaps the blood draw for PDRN, purified DNA extracted from salmon sperm cells. The fragments activate the skin’s A2A repair receptor and hand cells recycled building blocks, a mechanism documented in a 2017 Frontiers in Pharmacology review of PDRN’s long record in wound care. Korean clinics have used it for more than a decade, and it reached North America as the buzziest skin ingredient of the past two years.

In Canada, PDRN arrives as a topical professional serum, most often VAMP, made by Prollenium in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The newest formula carries 0.5 percent medical-grade PDRN alongside vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and hyaluronic acid. The full story is covered in this guide to PDRN and the salmon sperm facial.

How do PRP and PDRN actually differ?

The core difference is the source of the repair signal. PRP is autologous, meaning it comes from you. Its growth factors are the same messengers your body releases when healing a cut, so results reflect the quality of your own platelets. PDRN is standardized. Every vial contains the same purified salmon DNA at the same concentration, whatever your blood is doing that day.

The experience differs too. PRP requires a blood draw and a short spin in the centrifuge, adding a few minutes and one extra needle. PDRN skips the draw entirely, which matters to anyone squeamish about blood. And the evidence bases have different shapes. PRP has more than a decade of acne scar trials behind it, while PDRN leans on strong wound-healing science with newer, smaller cosmetic studies.

What does the research show?

PRP has the deeper stack of comparative data. A 2026 meta-analysis in Archives of Dermatological Research pooled 17 studies covering 1,111 participants and found that adding PRP to microneedling roughly tripled the odds of an excellent acne scar response, defined as a two-grade improvement, compared with microneedling alone. Patients were also more than twice as likely to see over 75 percent photographic improvement, with side effects no worse than needling by itself.

PDRN’s evidence runs deep in a different direction. Reviews summarized by Healthline report gains in elasticity and hydration, and its tissue repair record comes from years of medical use. The catch, echoed by Dermatology Times, is that large cosmetic trials are still thin, and so far there is little published research comparing PRP and PDRN head to head. Anyone claiming a definitive winner is ahead of the science.

Which one should you choose?

Think in goals, not trends. Atrophic acne scarring and deeper texture concerns lean PRP, since that’s where the meta-analysis numbers are strongest. Sun damage, dullness, dehydration, and skin that needs calming and barrier repair lean PDRN, which is also the pick if a blood draw is a dealbreaker. Some clients alternate boosters across a series so their skin gets both signals.

Age and skin condition matter as much as the serum, which is why microneedling with your choice of booster at Infinite Medical Spa starts with a consultation. A provider looks at your skin, your goals, and your history, then matches the booster to the plan rather than the other way around.

What about sessions and downtime?

The rhythm is the same for both. A typical series runs 3 sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, with maintenance visits two or three times a year. Downtime is a day or two of redness that looks like a mild sunburn, sometimes with light swelling. The Cleveland Clinic pegs PRP’s early smoothing effects at around two weeks, while collagen changes from either booster build over the months that follow. A proper microneedling aftercare routine protects whichever serum you choose.

Frequently asked questions

Does a vampire facial really use my own blood?

Yes. A small vial is drawn from your arm at the start of the appointment, spun down to concentrate the platelets, and applied back onto your skin during needling. Nothing donated, nothing synthetic.

Who should avoid PRP?

The Cleveland Clinic advises against PRP for people with blood clotting disorders, hepatitis C, HIV, or skin cancer, and for anyone on blood thinners. A consultation screens for all of this before anything is booked.

Who should avoid PDRN?

Anyone with a fish or seafood allergy should raise it with their provider first. Active eczema, rosacea flares, or open breakouts usually mean waiting until skin settles.

Can you switch between PRP and PDRN?

Yes. Both ride the same microneedling appointment, so the booster can change from session to session. Some plans alternate them deliberately. Booking microneedling in London, Ontario starts with choosing the booster that fits your current goal.

Is one better for acne scars?

The strongest published numbers for acne scarring belong to PRP, including the 2026 meta-analysis showing a tripled chance of an excellent response. PDRN still supports scar repair, and a provider may suggest it when scarring comes with redness or barrier damage.

Still torn between the two? Book a consultation with the team at Infinite Medical Spa in London, Ontario and leave with a booster plan matched to your skin.

Sources

1. Cleveland Clinic. Vampire (PRP) Facelift: What It Is, Benefits and Side Effects.
2. Archives of Dermatological Research, 2026. Combined microneedling and platelet-rich plasma for atrophic acne scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
3. Squadrito F, et al. Pharmacological Activity and Clinical Use of PDRN. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2017.
4. Healthline. Salmon Sperm Facial: Procedure, Research, Safety.
5. Dermatology Times. Social Media Mythbusters: PDRN Serums.
6. NewBeauty. What Beauty Trends Does 2026 Have in Store for Us?
7. BNN Bloomberg. Prollenium Launches VAMP Advanced, a Patent-Pending PDRN Solution.

This article was medically reviewed by Derek Truong, NP, Medical Director at Infinite Medical Spa in London, Ontario. It is intended for education and is not medical advice. A consultation is the best way to find out whether a treatment suits your skin.