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Recent news of women who got HIV after getting a “vampire facial” has made some wonder whether certain cosmetic treatments are safe. These infections are thought to be the first in the United States to be associated with cosmetic procedures.
Three women contracted the virus at a spa in New Mexico in 2018, with the CDC reporting that these instances revealed new vectors for the disease’s propagation.
The first-ever reported cases of HIV transmission in the United States linked to a cosmetic treatment may have occurred in this case.
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But how did the ladies get HIV after getting a “vampire facial”? And what is a “vampire facial” anyway? What precautions may patients take to avoid infection during cosmetic procedures?
Here is a rundown of what we know along with the recommendations from experts.
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The Vampire Facial: What Is It?
Facials using platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, are known by this informal name.
The process begins with extracting blood from the patient and continues with centrifuging the blood to separate the platelet-rich plasma. Tiny needle punctures are used to inject the plasma back into the face.
Reducing the visibility of wrinkles and acne scars, the technique is believed to assist in skin barrier restoration by promoting the generation of new elastin and collagen.
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian posted a picture after her treatment in 2013 showing what looked like blood on her face, so the trend has been around for a long.
After a few years, Ms. Kardashian wrote on her website that the procedure was “really rough and painful for me,” and she declared that she would never do it again.
Estimates from providers online suggest that the treatment in a registered medical spa might cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 (£1,600).
After getting a “vampire facial” in 2013, Kim Kardashian shared a selfie of herself online.
How did the ladies from New Mexico get HIV?
An American lady, believed to be in her 40s or 50s, tested positive for HIV while traveling overseas in the summer of 2018, and the CDC was made aware of this fact.
In addition to not having had sexual relations with anybody other than her present boyfriend in the last several weeks, the lady denied ever injecting drugs or receiving a blood transfusion.
But she did mention that she had a vampire facial in a New Mexico spa earlier that year.
Not only did the spa provide Botox and other injectable procedures, but an examination by the CDC found that it lacked a license and had “multiple unsafe infection control practices.”
As an example, there were “unwrapped syringes” strewn around the kitchen and “unlabelled tubes of blood and medical injectables” kept in the refrigerator beside food.
There were indications that some of the blood vials had been reused, and the CDC had identified a customer who tested positive for HIV prior to visiting the spa.
An investigation by the health department has connected the spa to five instances of HIV. Among those affected are four women who had vampire facial treatments from May to September 2018 and a guy who had a romantic relationship with one of those women.
Both partners in the connection had advanced stages of their HIV infections, suggesting that they had caught the virus before to the facial, according to the CDC.
The 62-year-old spa owner, Maria de Lourdes Ramos De Ruiz, is now serving a 3.5-year jail term; she was forced to shut the business in late 2018. Unlicensed medical practice was a crime to which she pleaded guilty in 2022.
Are vampire facials and other similar cosmetic treatments safe?
The therapies have shown promise in several clinical studies and medical publications for a variety of skin diseases, including acne, eczema, and sports injuries.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the technique seems to be safe when performed appropriately.
Ankle soreness, bruising, and swelling are all things that might happen following the procedure, according to the group. “These tend to go away within a few days.”
The handling of blood by the treatment institution poses the greatest danger.
The sterility of the blood sample taken from you is of the utmost importance. “Otherwise, you run the risk of contracting an infection,” the group warns.
Make sure the blood is really the client’s before injecting it back into their body; otherwise, the recipient might get very ill.
Cosmetic treatment seekers should verify the provider’s licensing status via prior investigation, according to experts. It is important to observe how staff members handle medical equipment, such as needles.
Not only have vampire facials made news recently because to their potential relation to severe disease, but so have other cosmetic treatments.
Twenty-two individuals in eleven states have been ill, with some of them requiring medical attention, after being exposed to botulism via fake Botox, according to US health authorities’ warning last week.
Blurred vision, trouble swallowing and breathing, slurred speech, and extreme exhaustion are signs of botulism, a dangerous sickness.
Many people choose to get Botox injections to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and make their skin seem younger. The average cost of an injection therapy is around $530.
Similar to vampire facials, the CDC warns that those considering Botox injections should do their homework on the clinic or doctor providing the procedure, as well as verify that the Botox they are using is both safe and authorized by the FDA.
