Federal health officials have documented the first known cases of HIV transmission from a cosmetic procedure using needles.
Three women were diagnosed with HIV after undergoing “vampire facial” treatments at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In its latest Morbidity and Mortality Report, the CDC revealed that an investigation from 2018 to 2023 indicated that the clinic in question likely reused disposable equipment designed for single use.
This breach in sanitary protocols is believed to be the cause of HIV transmissions.
While the risk of contracting HIV through unsterile injections from contaminated blood is established, this report is the first to document probable infections linked to a cosmetic procedure.
These procedures, which use needles, are common in the beauty industry.
They include Botox injections to smooth wrinkles, fillers for lip augmentation, and “vampire facials,” which involve drawing a client’s blood, separating its components, and then injecting the plasma back into the face to rejuvenate the skin.
Tattooing also uses needles.
The New Mexico Department of Health began investigating the spa in the summer of 2018 after a woman in her 40s tested positive for HIV despite having no known risk factors.
She had undergone a “vampire facial” at the spa earlier that spring, where she was exposed to needles.
Following the investigation’s launch, the spa was shut down in the fall of 2018, and its owner faced legal consequences for practicing medicine without a license.
The CDC report underscored the need for infection control measures in establishments offering cosmetic services with needles, highlighting the risks involved when such practices are not followed.
The report also criticized the spa for inadequate record-keeping, which hampered the investigation’s progress.
It emphasized the importance of maintaining proper records at facilities that perform cosmetic procedures, as this information may be crucial if clients need to be contacted for health-related concerns.
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