Factor 4

Factor 4 is an autologous serum - one made from your own blood - concentrated to deliver a high level of the growth factors and cytokines your body uses in tissue repair.

Because the material comes from you, there is no foreign substance involved and no question of rejection or allergy to a product.

How it is prepared

1. Blood is drawn into specialised tubing.
2. It is incubated for six to nine hours. During incubation it is exposed to small glass beads etched with precisely shaped grooves; that surface prompts a marked increase in growth factor formation.
3. The tubes are centrifuged, and the serum is extracted and filtered.
4. The filtered serum is portioned and stored frozen at -18°C until it is used.

This is a longer and more involved process than standard platelet-rich plasma, which is prepared and used in a single visit. The trade-off is that Factor 4 requires a separate blood collection appointment before treatment, and produces doses that can be stored for a course.

What it is used for

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Crepey skin on the face, neck and decolletage
• The backs of the hands
• Dark circles and thin skin around the eyes
• Stretch marks
• Scars, including acne scarring
• General skin quality, texture and firmness

How it is used

Factor 4 can be injected on its own, or applied during skin needling or fractional laser, where the micro-channels created by the treatment let the serum reach the deeper layers. Combining it that way is the more common approach, and it also supports healing after the treatment.

The usual protocol is three or four treatments, two to four weeks apart. Most people begin to notice a change a couple of weeks after the first treatment, with the fuller effect building over the months that follow as collagen remodels.

What results are realistic

Factor 4 supports your own collagen production. In practice that means improved skin texture and firmness, and softening of fine lines - a gradual change over months rather than a visible one the next day.

It does not stop ageing, replace volume the way a filler does, lift sagging skin, or remove deep static lines or established scarring. Results are maintained rather than permanent, and top-up treatments are usual.

Individual results vary, and some people respond less than others - the raw material is your own blood, and that differs between people.

Who it does not suit

• Bleeding or clotting disorders, or current anticoagulant medication
• Active infection, including at the treatment site
• Active skin disease in the treatment area
• Blood-borne conditions or significant anaemia
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• A history of keloid scarring, for the needling component
• Some cancers and immune conditions - discuss your full history

Risks

• Bruising and swelling at the injection or treatment sites
• Redness lasting a day or two
• Tenderness
• Small lumps or nodules at injection sites, usually temporary
• Infection
• Bruising or discomfort at the blood collection site, and light-headedness during collection
• Post-inflammatory pigmentation, more likely in darker skin types
• Scarring - uncommon
• Incomplete or no visible response

See risks and complications.

Cost

Cost depends on the areas treated, the number of treatments and whether it is combined with needling or laser, so it is quoted after consultation rather than listed. You are given one accurate written quote before you commit - not an estimate that changes later.

As at September 2024 and including GST, a consultation with a Cosmetic Doctor is $150. Factor 4 is a non-surgical treatment, so the referral requirement that applies to cosmetic surgery does not apply here; an appointment is generally available within one to two weeks. Not covered by Medicare.

Booking

Me Clinic, 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145. Phone 1300 852 050 or (03) 9569 3511, or use the online consultation form.

Related: skin needling, laser treatments, all skin treatments.

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.