Two people have been reportedly infected with HIV after a beauty salon ‘used dirty needles for vampire facials’.
Two people got HIV after having vampire facials at a health spa which used dirty needles to perform the procedure, health officials say.
The New Mexico Department of Health said Monday they fear the unnamed customers may have been infected by syringes and needles used to perform the anti-ageing procedure.
Both clients contracted the virus after visiting VIP Spa in Albuquerque, which was closed last September over concerns about how it handled needles, and whether it had a licence to perform the procedures.
Those infected visited the spa between May and September 2018, and are among 100 former clients who have so far been given tests for HIV and other blood-borne illnesses.
Kathy Kunkel, from the New Mexico Department of Health said: ‘While over 100 VIP Spa clients have already been tested, NMDOH is reaching out to ensure that testing and counseling services are available for individuals who received injection related services at the VIP Spa.
‘Testing is important for everyone as there are effective treatments for HIV and many hepatitis infections.’
The vampire facial soared in popularity after TV star Kim Kardashian shared a photo of herself undergoing the gory procedure in 2013.
It sees a patient’s own blood drawn from their body – usually their arm – and then spun in a centrifuge. This sees the blood’s plasma and platelets separated from the red blood cells. That liquid, called platelet-rich plasma, is then re-injected into the face.
Beauticians claim the solution’s high levels of proteins and other nutrients can boost skin cell grown and levels of collagen, which is key to maintaining a plump, youthful complexion.
HIV attacks and compromises sufferers immune systems. While there is no cure, the virus can be successfully managed using medication, with sufferers living a normal life expectancy.