Factor4

Factor4 is an anti-ageing treatment prepared from the patient's own blood. It is autologous - made from your own tissue and returned to you - which is the defining feature of the treatment and the reason it is prepared and handled the way it is.

This treatment is available at Me Clinic, Malvern East.

What it is

Factor4 is a serum containing a concentration of the patient's own growth factors and anti-inflammatory proteins. It belongs to the same broad family as platelet-rich plasma treatments, but is produced by a different process that concentrates growth factors to a higher degree than centrifuging plasma alone.

How it is prepared

The process is what distinguishes Factor4 from other blood-derived treatments:

Blood is drawn from the patient into specialised tubing.
The drawn blood is incubated for between six and nine hours. During incubation it is exposed to small glass beads etched with carefully shaped grooves. This surface contact triggers a rapid increase in the formation of growth factors.
The tubes are centrifuged, the serum is extracted and filtered.
The serum is portioned and stored frozen at -18°C until treatment.

Because of the incubation step, Factor4 is not a same-visit treatment in the way a simple platelet-rich plasma injection is - the blood draw and the treatment are separate appointments.

What it is used for

Factor4 is used for concerns relating to skin quality and texture, including:

Wrinkles and fine lines
Creping of the face, neck and décolletage
The backs of the hands
Dark circles around the eyes
Stretch marks
Scars

The intention is to stimulate the skin's own repair processes, which may help soften static lines and improve overall skin texture. Results vary between individuals, and some people notice little change.

Factor4 addresses skin quality. It does not add volume the way a dermal filler does, does not relax expression lines the way anti-wrinkle injections do, and does not lift descended tissue - that is a surgical problem. Being clear about which of those you are trying to change is the point of the consultation.

Treatment protocol

A typical protocol involves three or four treatments spaced two to four weeks apart. Some patients begin to notice changes a few weeks after the first treatment; others do not, and how quickly and how much anyone responds varies.

Factor4 can be used alone as an injectable, or combined with skin needling or fractional laser. Combining treatments is intended to improve the result and assist healing, though again results vary.

Risks and side effects

All injectable treatments carry risks. For Factor4 these include:

Pain, redness, swelling, bruising and tenderness at the injection sites and at the blood draw site
Infection at the injection site
Temporary lumpiness or irregularity
Changes in skin pigmentation
Fainting or light-headedness during the blood draw
No noticeable improvement

Where Factor4 is combined with skin needling or fractional laser, the risks of those treatments also apply - including prolonged redness, crusting, pigment change, scarring and infection.

Because the product is prepared from your own blood, the risk of allergic reaction to a foreign substance does not arise as it does with manufactured products. It does not remove the other risks above.

Who is not suitable

Treatment is generally avoided in people with active infection, certain blood disorders or platelet abnormalities, those on some anticoagulant medications, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and where there is active skin disease at the treatment site. Your full medical history and medication list are assessed before treatment.

Cost and booking

Cost depends on the number of treatments in the protocol and the areas treated, and is quoted at consultation after assessment. As at September 2024 and including GST, a consultation with a Cosmetic Doctor is $150 and a skin assessment with a nurse or aesthetician is $50, redeemable on products or services.

Factor4 is a non-surgical treatment, so the GP referral requirement that applies to cosmetic surgery does not apply here. Appointments are generally available within 7 to 14 days.

Me Clinic is at 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145, five minutes' walk from Caulfield station.

See anti-ageing procedures, skin rejuvenation and treatments, or all face procedures.

Individual results may vary. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.