CDC says 3 women diagnosed with HIV after receiving ‘vampire facial’

Three women in New Mexico contracted HIV after undergoing “vampire facial” treatments at an unlicensed medical spa, marking the first documented cases of HIV transmission via cosmetic needle procedures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The investigation, reported in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Report, highlighted that the spa, investigated from 2018 to 2023, reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use. This incident underscores the risk of HIV transmission through unsterile injections, a known hazard but previously undocumented in the context of cosmetic services. The procedures involved drawing blood, processing it to isolate plasma, and then reinjecting it into the skin using microneedles. The spa was closed in 2018 following the commencement of the investigation after a woman tested positive for HIV, with no other known risk factors besides the spa treatment. This case led to the prosecution of the spa’s owner for practicing medicine without a license and emphasized the necessity of stringent infection control and better record-keeping in cosmetic services that use needles.

Source: NPR