The PRF Facial in Houston, TX
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The PRF Facial works on skin quality across your whole face, including the under eye area, using platelet rich fibrin (PRF) made from a small sample of your own blood. Derma Theory Aesthetics Clinic and Academy is a nurse practitioner owned and led regenerative aesthetics clinic in the Galleria area of Houston. We recommend The PRF Facial when the goal is texture, radiance, fine lines, and tired looking eyes rather than volume. Nothing synthetic is involved.
Who The PRF Facial Is For
The PRF Facial suits patients across a wide range of ages, whether you are noticing the first signs of dull or uneven skin or want to improve skin that has changed over time. It fits when you see fine lines or a tired quality around the eyes and would rather not use filler. If what you see in the mirror is texture, lost radiance, or eyes that look tired when you are not, this is usually the right place to start.
It also suits you if you would rather work with your own biology than add a manufactured product. The series matters, and we explain why below.
It is not the right treatment if you want same day volume. The change builds over weeks and tends to read as healthier skin rather than a filled face.
What Is The PRF Facial?
The PRF Facial is a single appointment treatment that places platelet rich fibrin (PRF), made from your own blood, across the entire face in three ways. We place PRF in facial support areas, including the under eyes, cheeks, midface, nasolabial folds, marionette area, and jawline, deliver micro injections throughout the skin across the face, and treat the under eye area with dedicated injections. Doing all three in one appointment is what separates it from a standard PRF session.
The PRF Facial is designed to support your own collagen production and to improve skin quality, fine lines, texture, elasticity, radiance, and the appearance of the under eye area. Not many practices offer platelet based injections across the entire face including the under eye area. This is how we do full face PRF at Derma Theory in Houston.
PRF itself is a concentrated form of your own blood. We draw a small sample and spin it in a centrifuge without any added anticoagulant. The platelets and growth factors settle into a soft fibrin matrix that releases them slowly once placed.
A 2016 study in Clinical Oral Investigations (Kobayashi and colleagues) measured PRF releasing growth factors steadily across roughly a 10 day window. There is no single early burst. That slow release is why the change builds over the weeks after treatment. Our PRF in Houston page covers the material in more depth.
How The PRF Facial Compares to Microneedling With PRP, PRF Under Eye, and EZ Gel
The PRF Facial is the only one of these four treatments that injects platelet rich fibrin across the whole face, including the under eye area, in one appointment. Patients researching PRF facial rejuvenation in Houston usually look at all four.
| The PRF Facial | Microneedling with PRP | PRF under eye session | EZ Gel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What is placed | Liquid PRF from your own blood | PRP (platelet rich plasma) from your own blood, applied to the skin during and after SkinPen microneedling | Liquid PRF from your own blood | Your own blood, processed into a gel through a heating and cooling process |
| Where | Whole face: support areas (under eyes, cheeks, midface, nasolabial folds, marionette area, jawline), skin across the face, and dedicated under eye injections | Face (the skin surface) | Under the eyes. The same session format is used for the scalp and hairline | Under eyes, cheeks, temples, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, neck, hands |
| What it works on | Skin quality, fine lines, texture, elasticity, radiance, and the under eye area | Texture, tone, and pores through controlled microchannels plus growth factors | The thin skin under the eyes | Gentle structural support plus skin quality |
| Downtime | 24 to 48 hours of possible swelling or bruising | Redness and mild swelling for 24 to 48 hours | 24 to 48 hours of possible swelling or bruising | Swelling or bruising possible for three to five days |
| Price at Derma Theory | $1,000 per session, $2,700 for three | $550 per session, $1,400 for three | $500 per session, $1,300 for three | $800 for one area, $400 per additional area, $2,200 for three sessions on one area |
Microneedling with PRP works from the surface and is a good fit for pores, texture, and tone. A standard PRF under eye session treats one area. EZ Gel is the same PRF taken one step further into a gel, so it can add gentle structure where the face has lost some support.
The PRF Facial sits between them: injected rather than topical, whole face rather than one area, and liquid rather than gel. Our regenerative aesthetics in Houston page explains how the family fits together.
Why Three Sessions, Four Weeks Apart?
We recommend three PRF Facial sessions spaced four weeks apart because the effect of PRF compounds, and a single session rarely shows the full result. The 2016 Clinical Oral Investigations study by Kobayashi and colleagues found PRF releases its growth factors across roughly 10 days. The collagen response continues after that, and four weeks gives one round of stimulation time to develop before the next builds on it.
A 2025 systematic review in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (Sollitto and colleagues) examined PRP and PRF for rejuvenation around the eyes. It found that PRF shows promise for skin texture and fine lines, with results that build gradually and can fade over several months. That is why we plan a series and a maintenance schedule from the start, and why we tell you before your first session.
What Happens at a PRF Facial Appointment
A PRF Facial appointment at our Houston clinic generally takes under an hour, and it starts with a blood draw similar to a routine lab test.
- Draw. We draw a small amount of your blood.
- Spin. The sample goes into a centrifuge, which concentrates the platelets and growth factors into liquid PRF.
- Numb. We apply a numbing cream to the under eye area before treating it.
- Treat. We place PRF in the facial support areas, deliver micro injections throughout the skin across the face, and treat under the eyes with fine needles.
There is no to minimal downtime. Some patients have mild swelling, redness, or bruising for 24 to 48 hours, which settles on its own. Most return to normal activities the same day.
When Will You See Results From The PRF Facial?
Results from The PRF Facial build gradually over the weeks after each session rather than appearing the same day. As your own collagen responds, skin quality, texture, and the under eye area tend to look better, and each session builds on the last.
Results vary between individuals. Published evidence shows PRF results around the eyes can fade over several months, so after the initial series of three we generally recommend a maintenance session about every six months, depending on your skin, your goals, and your treatment plan.
Who Should Not Have The PRF Facial
The PRF Facial is not appropriate if you have a bleeding or platelet disorder, take blood thinners, have an active infection or skin condition on the face, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Certain chronic health conditions can also rule it out. This is not a complete list, and your health history is reviewed before we book.
It is also not the right choice on its own if your main concern is lost volume rather than skin quality. In that case we may suggest EZ Gel or a collagen stimulator such as Sculptra or Radiesse.
Why Derma Theory
Your PRF Facial is performed by our nurse injector, in a practice founded and led by Victoria Derdari, APRN, FNP-C, who personally trains other injectors through Derma Theory Aesthetics Academy. Victoria is an advanced practice registered nurse and a board certified family nurse practitioner, and you can verify her license with the Texas Board of Nursing. More than 250 patients have left Derma Theory a five star review.
Victoria built the practice around facial balancing, which means looking at how every area of your face relates to the rest before deciding what to treat. That is why many patients leave a consultation with a different plan than the one they came in asking for, and that is the point.
How Much Does The PRF Facial Cost in Houston?
The PRF Facial is $1,000 for a single session and $2,700 for a series of three sessions spaced four weeks apart. Financing is available through Cherry, PatientFi, and Affirm.
The PRF Facial Frequently Asked Questions
What is a PRF facial?
A PRF facial injects platelet rich fibrin (PRF), made from your own blood, across the face to support collagen and improve skin quality. At Derma Theory in Houston, The PRF Facial places PRF in facial support areas, throughout the skin, and under the eyes in one appointment.
Is The PRF Facial worth it?
The PRF Facial tends to be worth it for someone whose concern is skin quality, texture, fine lines, or tired looking eyes, and who wants nothing synthetic. It is a poor fit if you want same day volume, because results build gradually over weeks.
What is the difference between a PRF facial and microneedling with PRP?
A PRF facial injects platelet rich fibrin into the skin and support areas across the face, while microneedling with PRP applies platelet rich plasma to the skin surface during and after SkinPen microneedling. The PRF Facial works deeper and includes the under eye area.
How much does a PRF facial cost in Houston?
At Derma Theory in Houston, The PRF Facial costs $1,000 for a single session or $2,700 for a series of three sessions spaced four weeks apart. Financing is available through Cherry, PatientFi, and Affirm.
Does The PRF Facial hurt?
Most patients tolerate The PRF Facial well. We apply a numbing cream before treating the under eye area, and the injections use fine needles. You may feel brief pressure or stinging at the injection sites.
Is there downtime after The PRF Facial?
There is no to minimal downtime after The PRF Facial. Some patients have mild swelling, redness, or bruising for 24 to 48 hours, and most return to normal activities the same day.
How many PRF Facial sessions do I need?
We recommend three PRF Facial sessions spaced four weeks apart, because the collagen response from PRF compounds from one session to the next. A single session is available if you want to see how your skin responds first.
How long do PRF facial results last?
Results from The PRF Facial build over the weeks after each session and are maintained over time. Published evidence on PRF around the eyes shows results can fade over several months, so after the initial series of three, a maintenance session about every six months is generally recommended. Results vary.
Can The PRF Facial be combined with wrinkle relaxers or filler?
Yes. The PRF Facial can be part of a treatment plan that also includes neurotoxin or dermal filler, because it works on skin quality rather than on movement or volume. Your provider determines the timing based on the treatments being performed, so they are not always done on the same day.
Is The PRF Facial the same as a vampire facial?
We do not use that name. It is a trademark that belongs to another company, and it usually describes microneedling with PRP applied to the skin. The PRF Facial injects platelet rich fibrin across the whole face, including under the eyes, rather than applying platelets to the surface.
Book a PRF Facial Consultation in Houston
If dull skin, fine lines, or tired looking eyes are what you notice, and you want a treatment made from your own blood, The PRF Facial is worth a conversation. A consultation is the right first step, so we can look at your skin and confirm whether The PRF Facial or a different regenerative plan fits you.
Derma Theory, 3033 Chimney Rock Rd, Suite 105, Houston, TX 77056, in the Galleria area of Houston. Spanish translation assistance is available for consultations.
Sources
- Kobayashi E, Flückiger L, Fujioka-Kobayashi M, et al. “Comparative release of growth factors from PRP, PRF, and advanced-PRF.” Clinical Oral Investigations, 2016. PubMed ID 26809431. PubMed
- Sollitto CF, Narduzzi M, Wolinsky C. “A Systematic Review of Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Platelet-Rich Fibrin for Periorbital Rejuvenation.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025. PubMed ID 41190633. PubMed
