How 'vampire facials' infected three women with HIV

A recent report on women who contracted HIV after receiving a “vampire facial” has raised questions about the safety of some cosmetic procedures.

At least three women were infected at a spa in New Mexico in 2018, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that said the cases shed light on new ways the infection can spread.

They are believed to be the first-ever HIV transmissions related to a cosmetic procedure documented in the US.

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The term is a colloquial one for platelet-rich plasma - or PRP - facials.

It involves drawing a patient’s blood and then separating out platelet-rich plasma from it using a centrifuge. The plasma is then injected back into the face through tiny needle punctures.

The procedure is said to help repair the skin’s barrier by stimulating the production of new collagen and elastin, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and acne scars.

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A CDC investigation into the spa - which also provided other injection services, including Botox - later revealed that it was unlicensed and that it had “multiple unsafe infection control practices.”

This included “unlabelled tubes of blood and medical injectables” that were stored in a kitchen fridge next to food, as well as “unwrapped syringes” scattered in drawers and on counters.

Some of the blood vials also showed signs of being reused, and the CDC had identified at least one client who had tested positive for HIV before visiting the spa.