Three women likely were infected with HIV after undergoing “vampire facials” at an unlicensed New Mexico spa, the first known instance of the virus being transmitted through cosmetic injection services.
The investigation shows the dangers of unlicensed establishments that mix medical procedures with beauty treatments.
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Thursday, the investigation began in summer 2018 when a woman with no known HIV risk factors was diagnosed.
The patient reported no injection drug use, recent blood transfusions, or recent sexual contact with anyone other than her current sexual partner, who received a negative HIV test result after the patient’s diagnosis.
However, the patient said she underwent a so-called “vampire facial,” a cosmetic procedure that draws a client’s blood, separates the platelets, and then reinjects the platelet-rich blood into their face through microneedles.
Proponents of vampire facials say it helps plump sagging skin and reduces the appearance of acne scars or wrinkles, but the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) said there’s little evidence to support it.
