In what is believed to be an unprecedented event, HIV has been transmitted via cosmetic treatment services for the first time, federal representatives announced last Thursday. The incident, occurring in an unauthorised Albuquerque, New Mexico spa, involved three female “vampire facial” patients.
These three women were a part of a group of five individuals possessing closely related strains of HIV, four of whom had elected to take part in a treatment known as platelet-rich plasma microneedling at this spa. The fifth person, a male, was sexually involved with one of the infected women.
Despite rigorous investigation, the exact origin of the HIV infection remains undetermined. The initial trigger for investigation was a 2018 diagnosis in a woman patient who had no previously identified risk behaviours. Her declaration of receiving cosmetic treatments at the spa prompted a call for the probe.
Upon inspection of the spa, officials found unlabelled vials of blood carelessly placed on a kitchen counter, some casually stored next to food inside a fridge, and unpackaged syringes strewn in drawers and litter bins.
The spa was reported to be adopting the unethical practice of continually using equipment designed solely for one-time use, as per a document issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Branded as “vampire facials,” these treatments require extracting the patient’s own blood, isolating platelet-rich plasma through a centrifuge, and puncturing the skin using small, fine needles. The procedure is said to stimulate the production of elastin and collagen in the skin and provide a pathway for the plasma, which is topically applied to aid skin healing. The therapy is marketed for its abilities to mitigate acne scarring, sun damage and signs of ageing.
The spa ceased operations in late 2018, right after the first unconventional infection was identified. The ongoing investigation and the process of notifying the spa’s previous and current customers about the risk of possible HIV exposure were greatly impeded due to the spa’s inadequate record-keeping.
Investigators eventually compiled a comprehensive list of customers at risk of infection, with details derived from consent forms signed by clients, handwritten appointment logs, and telephone communications. They identified a total of 59 customers who were at risk. This included 20 who opted for “vampire facials” and 39 others who chose other services such as Botox from spring to autumn 2018.
All in all, investigators tested a total of 198 ex-spa clients and their partners for HIV from 2018 to 2023. Five cases with a high degree of similarity in the virus were confirmed as being connected to the spa – as reported by The New York Times in 2024.