At least three women have contracted HIV after receiving “vampire facial” a trendy procedure at an unlicensed medical spa in New Mexico, according to reports by Federal authorities in the United States.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in a report released last week, revealed that the three patients were the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through cosmetic injection services.
The CDC shared details of how several people were likely infected with HIV after being given vampire facials.
The agency said it started an investigation in 2018 after the New Mexico Department of Health found a positive HIV test from a woman in her 40s.
At the time, the patient reported no injection drug use, recent blood transfusions, or recent sexual contact with anyone other than her current sexual partner.
However, she did report exposure to needles during a micro-needling procedure at a spa in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In their investigation, the CDC and NMDOH found that the establishment in New Mexico engaged in many unsafe practices, including storing unlabeled tubes of blood and medical injectables, keeping unwrapped syringes in drawers and on counters, and reusing disposable electric desiccator tips.
Vampire facials is a procedure, where a patient’s blood is drawn, the plasma is separated from the blood cells and then the plasma is injected back into the face using micro needles.
This procedure is aimed at making the skin look smoother, tighter, and fuller, facials of this kind are popular among celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Bar Refaeli, and cost about $1,000.
Cosmetic surgery in the US is a lucrative industry and demand is growing.
Surgical procedures increased by almost 20 percent between 2019 and 2022, with the top five procedures in 2022 including liposuction, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, breast lift, and eyelid surgery, according to reports.
Women are encouraged to be cautious when undergoing procedures like this, ensure sterile needles are used, and proper safety precautions are taken.
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer.
