At least three women contracted the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in New Mexico after receiving a skin care treatment, known as a “vampire facial,” according to a report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention (CDC) of the United States.
The agency shared its investigative report on how several people were likely infected with HIV after receiving this treatment at VIP Spa in Albuquerque.
First salon-related HIV cases found in clients who reported exposure to needles during ‘vampire facial’ sessions, prompting New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) to offer free testing to clients of the establishment.
The cosmetic procedure, also known as “microneedling,” involves taking plasma from the blood and separating it from the blood cells, then injecting it back into the face using microneedles. Those who promote this technique, including celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian, claim it improves the appearance of the skin.
The CDC report states that although transmission likely occurred at the salon, the exact Source of contamination remains a mystery.
The VIP spa in Albuquerque has since closed its doors.
HIV directly attacks the immune system of the infected person and weakens it, making them susceptible to various diseases or infections, including AIDS.
“These are people who had no known risk of acquiring HIV,” CDC epidemiologist Anna Stadelman-Behar said, according to the Washington Post. “It was certainly a shock to them.”
Since 2018, three middle-aged women who received treatment at the VIP spa, with no predisposition to developing HIV, as well as a sexual partner of one of these women, have been tested for the virus.
