VIP Beauty Salon and Spa, which was closed in 2018, has come under investigation by health officials regarding potential exposure to blood-borne illnesses for former clients. The salon, located in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, had offered “vampire facials” and other injection-related services that may have put clients at risk of infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Despite being shut down in 2018, the investigation continued through 2019, leading to the discovery of two HIV cases linked to procedures provided at the spa.
After an HIV case was confirmed in 2019, the New Mexico Department of Health urged former clients of the VIP Beauty Salon and Spa to get tested. Subsequent testing revealed a total of five HIV patients, with three cases specifically linked to the vampire facial treatments offered at the spa. The CDC noted that poor infection control practices, including unlabeled blood and needles, found at the spa during an inspection in 2018 likely led to the transmission of HIV to these patients. The investigation identified 59 clients at risk for exposure, with testing conducted on 198 spa clients and their sexual partners.
The CDC emphasized that while the transmission of HIV through contaminated blood via cosmetic injection services is unprecedented, it was the first investigation to associate such transmission with nonsterile cosmetic procedures. The source of contamination at the spa remains unknown, but the CDC believes it was likely due to poor infection control practices. The investigation is ongoing, and free testing is still available for former clients of the spa.
In conclusion, the ‘vampire facial’ procedure involves using plasma and platelets extracted from the client’s own blood to rejuvenate the skin. While this procedure can have beneficial effects such as increasing collagen production and cell turnover, it is crucial to ensure that it is performed by a licensed professional in a sterile environment. Otherwise, as evidenced by the cases linked to the VIP Beauty Salon and Spa, improper infection control practices can lead to serious health risks.
