CDC: First HIV cases acquired from 'vampire facial'

Three women in New Mexico contracted HIV after receiving "vampire facials" at a spa, marking the first known HIV cases transmitted via cosmetic injections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.

In 2018, the first HIV case linked to the VIP Spa in Albuquerque prompted the New Mexico Department of Health to shut down its operation due to practices that could potentially spread blood-borne infections and offered free testing to all clients.

The investigation was reopened when a former spa client tested positive of HIV in 2023.

The CDC report revealed the first case was a middle-aged woman who tested positive for HIV in 2018. She had no history of injectable drug use, recent blood transfusions or recent sexual contact with someone with HIV — but she did report getting a vampire facial.

Two additional middle-aged clients who received vampire facials in 2018 were later diagnosed with HIV – one in 2019 and the other in 2023 after hospitalization for severe symptoms.

The report further revealed that the New Mexico spa was engaging in "unsafe infection control practices." Subsequently, the spa ceased operations later in 2018, and its owner pleaded guilty to practicing without a license.

Numerous sought-after cosmetic procedures involve needle usage, like Botox for wrinkle reduction and fillers for lip enhancement. A "vampire facial," or platelet-rich plasma microneedling, includes drawing the client's blood, isolating its components, and using small needles to inject plasma into the face, revitalizing the skin. Additionally, tattoos are applied using needles.

The "vampire facial" gained mainstream attention in 2013 when Kim Kardashian famously shared a photo of herself post-procedure, with blood visible on her face. However, she has since spoken out against the treatment citing a "super uncomfortable experience." "It was really rough and painful for me. It was honestly the most painful thing ever! It's the one treatment that I'll never do again," Kardashian wrote on her website.