"Vampire Facial" 

CDC Identifies First Cases of HIV Transmission Via Cosmetic Needles 

By Sathish Raman | 

Updated: Monday, April 29, 2024, 2:15 [IST] 

In a startling revelation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three women have been diagnosed with HIV following "vampire facial" treatments at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa. 

This marks the first documented instance where individuals have contracted the virus through a cosmetic needle procedure, as detailed in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Report last week. The investigation, spanning from 2018 to 2023, uncovered that the clinic reused disposable equipment meant for a single use, posing significant health risks to its clients. 

Representative image Vampire facials, or platelet-rich plasma microneedling, involve drawing a client's blood, processing it, and then injecting the plasma back into the face using fine needles.

 This procedure is designed to rejuvenate the skin by promoting collagen production. However, the improper handling and reuse of needles at this particular spa led to these unprecedented HIV transmissions. 

The New Mexico Department of Health initiated an investigation into the spa during the summer of 2018 after a woman in her 40s, with no prior risk factors for HIV, tested positive for the virus following her treatment at the facility. 

The spa was subsequently shut down in the fall of 2018 as the investigation progressed, and its owner faced legal action for practicing medicine without a license. 

This case has underscored the critical need for stringent infection control practices in establishments offering cosmetic services involving needles. 

The CDC's report also highlighted challenges in the investigation, such as poor record-keeping by the business, which hampered efforts to trace and inform potentially affected clients.

 This incident serves as a cautionary tale about the risks associated with cosmetic procedures performed under unsanitary conditions or by unlicensed practitioners.

 It emphasizes the importance of thorough research and vigilance on the part of consumers seeking cosmetic treatments that involve needle use. 

Furthermore, it calls for improved regulatory oversight and record-keeping standards within the cosmetic service industry to prevent such occurrences in the future.