CIT should be separated from other contexts in which microneedling devices are used on the skin (e.g., transdermal drug delivery, vaccination).

It is a technique for which research is ongoing, but has been used for a number of skin problems including scarring and acne.

PRP is derived from the patient's own blood and may contain growth factors that increase collagen production.

[4][5] More serious safety concerns have been cited for these treatments, popularly known as vampire facials, when performed in non-medical settings by people untrained in infection control.

[6] In April 2024, the CDC announced that three women who had been patients at the Albuquerque, New Mexico, VIP Spa had been diagnosed with HIV after getting "vampire facials" there.