An unlicensed medical spa has been identified as the likely cause of a New Mexico woman’s HIV infection years after she received a vampire facial treatment. The former customer of the VIP medical spa became the fourth person to develop HIV linked to vampire facials they received there. The infections are the first known instances of HIV being transmitted through a cosmetic injection procedure. The business was shut down in 2018 by the New Mexico Department of Health after unsanitary conditions were found. The owner of spa was convicted in 2022 for practicing medicine without a license.
The New Mexico Department of Health advises customers who received any kind of injection to get tested for HIV as well as hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Health officials added that clients who tested negative in 2018/2019 should be retested.
If you’re thinking about getting medical or cosmetic injections, be sure to ask if the provider/business is properly licensed and trained. You should also ask if the products used are FDA approved and obtained from trustworthy reliable source.
Full Story: CBS News