At least three women were diagnosed with HIV after receiving a bloody “vampire facial” at a New Mexico wellness spa, as revealed in an alarming report by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). This case represents the first documented transmission of HIV through such a cosmetic procedure. The spa in question, VIP Beauty Salon and Spa, located in downtown Albuquerque, offered treatments known as “vampire facials” or “PRP facials”. These facials combined microneedling with the topical application of plasma taken from the customer’s own blood. The health department’s Infectious Disease Bureau traced one of the HIV cases specifically back to this treatment. The salon had been shut down in 2018, but investigations continued due to concerns about potential exposure to blood-borne illnesses. We emphasize the importance of seeking cosmetic treatments from licensed physicians and supervised facilities to ensure safety and prevent such risks.
Word for the wise: When considering cosmetic procedures, always choose reputable facilities with proper oversight to safeguard your health and well-being.
To be on the safe side, if undertaking cosmetic treatments, make sure the facility you are going to are staffed by a clinician, and that if the services are provided by support staff, that there is an actual licensed physician on site who is physically present to supervise procedures and to intervene if complications arise. Many spas only have a physician on paper to sign off on regulatory papers but is otherwise absent when procedures are done.