At least three women were infected with HIV during “vampire facial” cosmetic procedures at an unlicensed spa in Albuquerque, federal officials said Thursday. This is the first time HIV transmission through cosmetic injection services has been documented, they said.
The three were part of a group of five people sharing very similar strains of HIV, four of whom had undergone a procedure called platelet-rich plasma microneedling at the spa. The fifth individual, a man, had sexual relations with one of the women.
Investigators still do not know the precise origin of the contamination. A 2018 HIV diagnosis in a client who reported having no behavioral risk factors led to a public health investigation when the woman reported she received a cosmetic treatment involving needles, called plasma-rich facial microneedling in platelets.
An inspection of the spa found unlabeled tubes of blood sitting on a kitchen counter, others stored with food in a refrigerator and unwrapped syringes in drawers and trash cans.
The installation also appeared to be reuse disposable materials intended for single use only, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The report follows an announcement by health officials earlier this month that they investigate a series of illnesses linked to counterfeit or improperly injected Botox containing large amounts of botulinum toxin, which is used in small doses to smooth wrinkles.
“If people are worried – and friends have asked me, ‘What would you do?’ “—the first step is to verify that your provider is licensed to provide cosmetic injection services,” said Anna M. Stadelman-Behar, a CDC epidemiologist who is the lead author of the HIV report.
“If they are licensed, they have completed infection control training, know the correct procedures and are required by law to follow proper infection control practices.”
Overall, she noted, the risk of infection during cosmetic procedures is generally low. “If you have concerns, go get tested for HIV,” Dr. Stadelman-Behar said. “The CDC recommends that all adults between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested at least once as part of routine medical care and know their status.”
So-called vampire facials involve drawing the patient’s blood, putting it in a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma, and then using very thin, short needles to pierce the skin.
This is said to prompt the skin to produce elastic and collagen, and to create openings for plasma, which is applied topically to aid in skin repair. The procedure is promoted to reduce signs of aging, acne scarring and sun damage.
The New Mexico Department of Health, which learned of the unusual HIV infection in 2018 when the first woman was diagnosed, opened an investigation into the spa. Over time, authorities identified four former clients and one sexual partner who had been diagnosed with HIV between 2018 and…
