At least three women contracted HIV after receiving a trendy skincare treatment in New Mexico, according to a detailed report of the outbreak investigation.
In a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the agency shared details of how several people were likely infected with HIV after being given “vampire facials” at the now-shuttered VIP Spa in Albuquerque.
The first case of HIV linked to the salon was discovered in 2018, prompting the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) to offer free testing to clients of the facility. The middle-aged woman had no history of recent blood transfusions, injectable drug use or sexual contact with an HIV-positive individual, but she did report receiving a vampire facial.
The other reports came from women who had also had vampire facials in 2018. One was diagnosed with early-stage HIV in 2019, and the other last year when she wound up in hospital with severe symptoms.
“These are people who had no known risks for HIV acquisition,” said CDC epidemiologist Anna Stadelman-Behar, the Washington Post reports. “It was a shock to them, definitely.”
A vampire facial is a procedure where a patient’s blood is drawn, the plasma is separated from blood cells and then the plasma is injected back into the face using microneedles. Those touting the technique, including celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian, claim better-looking skin.
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However, the American Academy of Dermatology says there’s little evidence to support claims that vampire facials can help reduce the appearance of saggy skin, acne or wrinkles.
The CDC’s report said that while the transmission likely occurred at the salon, the source of contamination remains a mystery.
At the time of the investigation, NMDOH epidemiologist Dr. Michael Landen told KOAT News they were shocked by how VIP Spa was storing, handling and disposing of needles.
Unlabelled tubes of blood were found on a rack on a kitchen counter as well as in the kitchen fridge next to personal food and other injectables. Investigators also found unwrapped syringes on counters, in trash cans and in drawers.
“That’s concerning, because if needles aren’t handled appropriately, you could potentially increase the risk of a blood-borne infection,” he said.
According to NBC affiliate KOB, the spa’s owner pleaded guilty to five felony counts of practicing medicine without a licence in 2022 and was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.
This marks the first time that HIV transmission through cosmetic injection services has been documented, officials say.
Stadelman-Behar told the New York Times that the “biggest takeaway is that licensing is super important.”
“If they’re licensed, then they have had infection-control training and know the correct procedures, and are bound by law to follow proper infection-control practices.”
She recommends that anyone receiving these kinds of medi-spa procedures ask providers to open fresh syringes and vials in front of them, and to double-check that any blood drawn is properly labelled with their name, date of birth and collection date.
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