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How 'vampire Facials' Infected Three Women With HIV

The HIV infections are believed to be the first linked to a cosmetic procedure in the US [Getty Images]

A recent report on women who contracted HIV after receiving a "vampire facial" has raised questions about the safety of some cosmetic procedures.

At least three women were infected at a spa in New Mexico in 2018, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that said the cases shed light on new ways the infection can spread.

They are believed to be the first-ever HIV transmissions related to a cosmetic procedure documented in the US.

But what exactly is a "vampire facial", and how did the women contract HIV after receiving it? And what can people do to keep themselves safe from infection when getting cosmetic treatments?

Here is a breakdown of what we know and what experts recommend.

What is a Vampire Facial?

The term is a colloquial one for platelet-rich plasma - or PRP - facials.

It involves drawing a patient's blood and then separating out platelet-rich plasma from it using a centrifuge. The plasma is then injected back into the face through tiny needle punctures.

The procedure is said to help repair the skin's barrier by stimulating the production of new collagen and elastin, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and acne scars.

It has been around for a while - reality television star Kim Kardashian shared a selfie post-procedure in 2013 where her face appeared bloody.

A few years later Ms Kardashian said that she would not get the treatment again, writing on her website that it was "really rough and painful for me."

The treatment could cost anywhere between $1,000 to $2,000 (£1,600) at a licensed medical spa, according to estimates from providers online.

Kim Kardashian posted a photo of herself after receiving a "vampire facial" in 2013 [Instagram/Kim Kardashian]

How did the New Mexico women contract HIV?

In summer of 2018, the CDC became aware of an American woman, aged between 40 and 50, who tested positive for HIV while she was abroad.

The woman reported no history of injection drug use or recent blood transfusions, and did not have recent sexual contact with anyone other than her current partner.

She did, however, report getting a vampire facial earlier that year at a spa in New Mexico.

A CDC investigation into the spa - which also provided other injection services, including Botox - later revealed that it was unlicensed and that it had "multiple unsafe infection control practices."

This included "unlabelled tubes of blood and medical injectables" that were stored in a kitchen fridge next to food, as well as "unwrapped syringes" scattered in drawers and on counters.

Some of the blood vials also showed signs of being reused, and the CDC had identified at least one client who had tested positive for HIV before visiting the spa.

The health agency has since tied the spa to five cases of HIV, including four women who had all received a vampire facial treatment between May and September of 2018 and a man who was romantically linked with one of the women.

The late stage of the HIV infections for the man and woman in a relationship indicated they had contracted the disease before the facial, the CDC said

The spa was forced to close in late 2018, and its former owner, 62-year-old Maria de Lourdes Ramos De Ruiz, is serving a three-and-a-half year prison sentence. She pled guilty in 2022 to practicing medicine without a license.

Are cosmetic procedures like vampire facials safe?

There have been hundreds of published medical research papers and trials that suggest the treatments are effective for some sports injuries, acne, eczema and other skin conditions.

Theh American Academy of Dermatology Association says the procedure itself, when done correctly, appears to be safe.

"You may have a bit of pain, bruising and swelling afterwards," the association says. "These tend to go away within a few days."

The biggest risk comes from the way the blood is handled by the facility providing the treatment.

"It's essential that the blood removed from your body be kept sterile. Otherwise, you could develop an infection," the association says.

It is also important to ensure that the blood being injected back belongs to the client, and not someone else, as the recipient could get very sick otherwise.

Experts say that those looking to get cosmetic treatments should research the provider beforehand to make sure the facility is licensed. They should also note how medical equipment - like needles - are being handled by staff.

Vampire facials are not the only cosmetic treatment to make recent headlines after being linked to serious illness.

US health officials warned last week of a botulism outbreak tied to counterfeit Botox, which has sickened 22 people in 11 states - some of whom have since been in hospital.

Botulism is a serious illness with symptoms including blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and breathing, slurred speech and fatigue.

Botox injection is a popular treatment used to smooth wrinkles and make skin appear younger. Injections typically cost around $530 a treatment.

Like with the vampire facials, the CDC advises those looking to get Botox injections to research the treatment provider beforehand, and to make sure that the Botox being used is FDA approved and purchased from a reliable source.

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HIV Transmission Linked To Vampire Facials, CDC Says

Cases of HIV have been traced to platelet-rich plasma microneedling facials. Also known as vampire ... [+] facials, this treatment involves applying a patient's plasma to the perforated skin. (Photo By Tim Leedy/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

MediaNews Group via Getty Images

A cluster of HIV cases has been linked to platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedures, according to a report published on Thursday by the CDC. Investigators note that the spa in New Mexico providing the cosmetic treatments engaged in several unsafe practices, including leaving unlabeled tubes of blood on a kitchen counter and in a kitchen refrigerator. This unlicensed facility has since closed.

Often referred to as vampire facials, PRP microneedling involves using needles to create tiny holes in the skin. Platelet-rich plasma, obtained from the client, then is added to the perforated skin. The process may reduce wrinkles associated with aging and decrease the visibility of scars, proponents say. But according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, "there's little evidence to show that it works — or doesn't work."

The New Mexico Department of Health began investigating this incident when a woman tested positive for HIV and reported no known risk factors other than obtaining a PRP microneedling facial in 2018. Ultimately, CDC and NMHD officials identified two other individuals who received vampire facials at the same the spa in 2018 and subsequently tested positive for HIV. A fourth client also tested positive, but researchers believe she probably had been infected prior to visiting the spa. Her sexual partner tested positive, too.

To determine if the infections in these people were linked, researchers sequenced specific viral genes from the patients. Sequences from all five individuals were highly similar. This result indicates a common source exposure. The individuals reported no common contacts and no common risk factors other than undergoing this procedure at the spa. Thus, officials concluded that three of the individuals became infected at the establishment.

The exact mode of transmission could not be determined. Possibly, transmission resulted from the reuse of needles or the reuse of blood-containing vials.

The transmission of HIV via blood products and shared needles is well documented. Indeed, a 1982 report in The Lancet describes the probable transmission of HIV to an infant from a blood transfusion. Also in 1982, the CDC reported the appearance of HIV/AIDS in people with hemophilia. In 2021, nearly a tenth of new HIV infections in the U.S. Occurred in people who inject drugs. However, the probable transmission of HIV via cosmetic services like vampire facials has not previously been documented.

When done appropriately, cosmetic treatments like microneedling and botox injections should present no risk of HIV transmission. This report, however, illustrates the potential risk associated with these services and the importance of basic safety precautions. More broadly, it illustrates the value of harm reduction strategies. For people who inject drugs, needle exchange programs and similar syringe services programs decrease the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C. These programs need to be embraced.

CDC Says 3 Women Diagnosed With HIV After Receiving 'vampire Facial'

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Three women who were diagnosed with HIV after getting "vampire facial" procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles, federal health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its Morbidity and Mortality Report last week that an investigation into the clinic from 2018 through 2023 showed it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use.

Although HIV transmission from contaminated blood through unsterile injection is a well-known risk, the report said this is the first documentation of probable infections involving cosmetic services.

Many popular cosmetic treatments are delivered with needles, such as Botox to iron out wrinkles and fillers to plump lips. A "vampire facial," or platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedure, involves drawing a client's own blood, separating its components, then using tiny needles to inject plasma into the face to rejuvenate the skin. Tattoos also require needles.

The New Mexico Department of Health began investigating the spa in the summer of 2018 after it was notified that a woman in her 40s had tested positive for HIV even though she had no known risk factors. The woman reported exposure to needles through the procedure at the clinic that spring.

The spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched, and its owner was prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license.

The report said the investigation showed how important it is to require infection control practices at businesses that offer cosmetic procedures involving needles.

It also noted that the investigation was slowed by poor record keeping and said businesses providing such services should keep better records in case clients need to be contacted later.

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.Npr.Org.

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