(VitalNews.org) – A spa facial called a “vampire facial” has been named as an alternative to getting a facelift and the process claims to not be invasive at all. However, if the process is done in an unsterile environment, this could pose huge health risks for those getting the facial.
Three women who received a “vampire facial” in New Mexico contracted HIV from the unlicensed spa. The facial in question is a process where the person’s blood will be drawn out of their arm and then the blood will be applied to their face using microneedles. It is sometimes alternatively called a platelet-rich plasma and it’s said to help with pore size and rejuvenation.
“This investigation is the first to associate HIV transmission with nonsterile cosmetic injection services,” the report stated.
Health officials noticed the facility after two women came back from their trips in 2018 and tested positive for HIV. The third person did not realize until a year ago that she had HIV after she was admitted to a hospital for an illness related to AIDS.
The Centers for Disease Control did not release the name of the unlicensed spa, but they did shut down the spa after finding that they were doing practices that could spread blood-borne illnesses. Some of the issues the CDC found when investigating were unlabeled blood tubes and injectables stored with food in the fridge.
The former VIP spa owner, Maria Ramos de Ruiz, pled guilty to five felony counts of practicing without a license.
People are encouraged to ask a spa if they are licensed and trained or not, as well as ask for verification when coming in to get any sort of cosmetic process or procedure, especially cosmetic injecting services.
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