Could a vitamin IV drip really make me look more beautiful? That was the question on my mind before I tried one a week ago. Intravenous vitamin therapy is the latest celebrity health fad, and proponents say it can do everything from boost your glow to increase your energy levels. Sounds pretty cool, right? LiquiFusion, a New York City-based company, offers several $200 IV drips; there's one to detox your body, one to cure your hangover, and one to boost your immunity. There’s even a libido-increasing drip if you’re looking to have an extra fun weekend. They gave me an opportunity to undergo one of their treatments, and I decided on the Regenerate, which claims to give skin a healthy, youthful-looking glow, thanks to its mix of essential amino acids, EDTA (a molecule with detoxification properties), and B vitamins. Keep this field blank Enter your email address You may unsubscribe at any time. According to the company, the effects of one drip session last for about a week, and scheduling regular sessions can further optimize results.
The company notes, however, that there are small risks involved, such as bruising at the injection site (ouch!) and possible rupture of the vein wall that can result in a burning sensation that should subside after the IV is moved to a different vein. I’m a freelance beauty writer, and I already take daily vitamins, drink a Vega One green protein shake for breakfast every morning, ingest eight glasses of water a day, and wear sunscreen—so my complexion is in pretty good shape. My biggest concern is my under-eye area, which has dark circles and fine lines that become more pronounced when I’m tired or stressed. I still had to know: Could this drip do an even better job at keeping my skin youthful than all the stuff I already do? RELATED: 3 New Anti-Aging Treatments You Really Oughta Know About Here I am before the treatment: What It’s Like to Get a Vitamin IV Drip After swiping and signing all liability away on an iPad, the smiling nurse first checked my blood pressure to make sure everything was normal.
Then she inserted the IV drip, which felt like a bee sting-like pinch. IV therapy delivers nutrients to the body directly, bypassing the digestive process, which is why it’s supposed to have instant results. "You only absorb about 50 percent of the nutrients you ingest, but with an IV, that’s increased to about 90 percent,” Marissa Fisher, R.N., the registered nurse who administered my IV, explained while we chatted during the treatment. I sat for about 45 minutes as the drip slowly worked its way into my veins. My arm definitely felt a bit funny—like the sensation you get after giving blood. While I waited for the IV to work its magic, Fisher told me she'd just given the same treatment to a model who was about to fly to Miami for a swimsuit shoot on the beach. “She wanted her skin to have that extra glow,” said Fisher. RELATED: One Travelin’ Woman Tested 9 Celeb Skin-Care Tips—Here’s What Happened Here I am immediately following the treatment (does my complexion look any different to you?):
After the infusion was over and the needle was removed, Fisher once again took my blood pressure before releasing me. I looked in the mirror and didn’t detect a change, but Fisher explained that it would take a bit of time for all of the vitamins and minerals to circulate through my system. I headed out for a brisk 15-minute walk and ended up feeling slightly light-headed halfway through. I stopped to take a few sips from the water bottle in my handbag, and luckily the sensation passed in a couple of minutes. How I Looked—and Felt—After the Treatment Honestly, I totally forgot about the treatment until a few hours later, when I realized that my energy hadn’t dipped in the late afternoon. Usually, I need a pick-me-up like a cup of tea or a sweet snack. At this point I still wasn’t sure the concoction was doing anything for my skin, but I definitely felt more energetic and alert than I normally would have at that time of day. RELATED: 5 Foods That Give You TONS of Energy
Here I am 24 hours post-drip: The next morning, I met a publicist for breakfast. “Your skin is glowing!” she said as I gave her a hug. Interesting...given that I had only gotten about four hours of sleep the night before. “I think it’s this beauty IV thing I just tried,” I said. She raised an eyebrow. “How much is it?” she asked, intrigued. The bottom line: 24 hours after I tried the vitamin infusion, I noticed that the fine lines under my eyes seemed smoother, and my cheeks looked rosier and plumper—like I had slept in on a Saturday and had been drinking cucumber water all day. I was even able to use less concealer under my eyes. What’s more, my skin did seem to retain its healthy, rested glow for a solid several days after the treatment—and definitely for longer than the fleeting results I see from a typical spa facial (which can run upward of $100). Although the treatment was pricey, I’d consider getting an IV drip again if I needed an extra boost for a special event—but it definitely won’t replace my regular skin-care routine.
I got a vitamin IV at my desk at work. No, I'm not dying. I wasn't severely dehydrated or nursing a terrible hangover, either. I did it in the name of clearer, smoother skin. Here's how it went down.I've never been particularly squeamish about needles. I certainly don't enjoy them, but even as a kid, I never had to be bribed into getting a shot at the doctor's office. It just wasn't a big deal. So when I first heard about models and celebrities—like Madonna, Cindy Crawford, and Rihanna—reportedly getting vitamin IV treatments, I was intrigued. And totally down to try it myself.Here's the logic behind them: Instead of having to consume vitamin supplements (or, you know, actually eat healthy foods), which are only partially absorbed into the bloodstream, these highly concentrated vitamin solutions are injected directly into your veins for 100 percent absorption. Most of the IV therapy treatments out there for "exhaustion" or hangovers include some sort of B-vitamin mix, and maybe some vitamin C.
But my treatment, administered by a nurse from a company called LiquiFusion by Labvantage Lx, was a little more complex than that. In addition to those basic B and C vitamins, my treatment included amino acids and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which were supposed to help with "DNA repair on a cellular level," whatever the hell that means. Bottom line: The company claims that this treatment, which they call "Regenerate," helps to oxygenate the blood, create a "healthy glow," reduce wrinkles, and combat acne, much like many of the beauty waters and elixirs on the market.LiquiFusion by Labvantage Lx is a New York City–based company that administers the IV treatment to you wherever you are: your home, your office, your hotel room, and so on. I chose to have the treatment at my desk during the day, because this is Allure, and we're used to having strange beauty treatments in the workplace. Or so I thought. In addition to really freaking out some of my coworkers (once again, guys, I'm not dying, so don't worry), it made for a pretty great photo op.
Here's what the treatment process was like: The nurse arrived and got right down to work, prepping the treatment and answering all of my (many) questions as she went. When she pulled out the IV bag, I was alarmed by its yellow, undeniably peelike appearance. ("That's just because of the B vitamins," she assured me.) The needle prick felt like a needle prick, but other than that one instant, the entire session really was painless.The weirdest part of the whole thing for me was that I could taste it. Almost immediately after the IV drip began, I started to experience what I can only describe as a strange, vitamin-y aftertaste that sat in the back of my throat. It was slightly sweet and not exactly metallic, more like I had eaten some dried pineapple and then a bunch of Flinstones vitamins. The nurse said it was completely normal to taste it—and that most people do—but she said she still doesn't know exactly why that happens. (My scientific assessment: The body is weird.)As the drip continued, I was able to work at my desk as I normally would, though I was careful not to make any sudden movements that might rip the needle out of my arm or knock over the IV drip.
Other than the weird taste in my mouth, the only other immediate effect I noticed was that I really, really had to pee. And this brings us to the TMI portion of the story (sorry). I could barely sit still as I watched the drip empty into my veins. The whole treatment took about 45 minutes, with the nurse carefully monitoring my progress and asking if I felt dizzy at all (I didn't).Immediately after the treatment, I have to admit, I felt pretty good. I was energized in a way that made me feel like I'd just had a really great night's sleep (even though I hadn't) and all that extra hydration made me feel like I finally understood what it must feel like to be one of those celebrities who drinks two gallons of water a day. As for my skin, my face was slightly flushed (if that's what they meant by glow-y, then OK, fine) but on the whole, not noticeably different. The nurse assured me that I'd continue to notice the effects of the treatment for the next 24 hours.So would I do it again? If I were the type of person who had $200 to spare, absolutely.