CDC Reports HIV Cases Linked to Unlicensed New Mexico Spa’s “Vampire Facials”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , USA has released a report indicating that three women may have contracted HIV after receiving "vampire facials" at an unlicensed spa in New Mexico. This trendy procedure gained popularity several years ago, notably endorsed by Kim Kardashian. The vampire facial involves drawing blood from the arm, processing it to separate platelets, and reinjecting the platelet-rich plasma into the skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, the aim of this procedure is to rejuvenate the skin and improve its appearance. The CDC's investigation began when a woman in her 40s tested positive for HIV in 2018 while traveling abroad. She reported no other risk factors for HIV transmission apart from exposure to needles during a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) microneedling procedure at the New Mexico spa in spring 2018. Another individual tested positive for HIV during routine life insurance tests in 2018, and a third woman discovered her HIV status last year when hospitalized with an "AIDS-defining illness." If confirmed, these cases would represent the first known instances of HIV transmission via a non-sterile cosmetic injection procedure, according to the CDC. The agency underscores the critical importance of adhering to proper infection control practices in all cosmetic procedures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , USA has released a report indicating that three women may have contracted HIV after receiving “vampire facials” at an unlicensed spa in New Mexico. This trendy procedure gained popularity several years ago, notably endorsed by Kim Kardashian.

The vampire facial involves drawing blood from the arm, processing it to separate platelets, and reinjecting the platelet-rich plasma into the skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, the aim of this procedure is to rejuvenate the skin and improve its appearance.

The CDC’s investigation began when a woman in her 40s tested positive for HIV in 2018 while traveling abroad. She reported no other risk factors for HIV transmission apart from exposure to needles during a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) microneedling procedure at the New Mexico spa in spring 2018. Another individual tested positive for HIV during routine life insurance tests in 2018, and a third woman discovered her HIV status last year when hospitalized with an “AIDS-defining illness.”

If confirmed, these cases would represent the first known instances of HIV transmission via a non-sterile cosmetic injection procedure, according to the CDC. The agency underscores the critical importance of adhering to proper infection control practices in all cosmetic procedures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Subscribe to our free newsletter to read the latest news and articles before they are published.