Cases of HIV have been traced to platelet-rich plasma microneedling facials. Also known as vampire ... [+]
A cluster of HIV cases has been linked to platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedures, according to a report published on Thursday by the CDC. Investigators note that the spa in New Mexico providing the cosmetic treatments engaged in several unsafe practices, including leaving unlabeled tubes of blood on a kitchen counter and in a kitchen refrigerator. This unlicensed facility has since closed.
Often referred to as vampire facials, PRP microneedling involves using needles to create tiny holes in the skin. Platelet-rich plasma, obtained from the client, then is added to the perforated skin. The process may reduce wrinkles associated with aging and decrease the visibility of scars, proponents say. But according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, “there’s little evidence to show that it works — or doesn’t work.”
The New Mexico Department of Health began investigating this incident when a woman tested positive for HIV and reported no known risk factors other than obtaining a PRP microneedling facial in 2018. Ultimately, CDC and NMHD officials identified two other individuals who received vampire facials at the same the spa in 2018 and subsequently tested positive for HIV. A fourth client also tested positive, but researchers believe she probably had been infected prior to visiting the spa. Her sexual partner tested positive, too.
To determine if the infections in these people were linked, researchers sequenced specific viral genes from the patients. Sequences from all five individuals were highly similar. This result indicates a common source exposure. The individuals reported no common contacts and no common risk factors other than undergoing this procedure at the spa. Thus, officials concluded that three of the individuals became infected at the establishment.
The exact mode of transmission could not be determined. Possibly, transmission resulted from the reuse of needles or the reuse of blood-containing vials.
The transmission of HIV via blood products and shared needles is well documented. Indeed, a 1982 report in The Lancet describes the probable transmission of HIV to an infant from a blood transfusion. Also in 1982, the CDC reported the appearance of HIV/AIDS in people with hemophilia. In 2021, nearly a tenth of new HIV infections in the U.S. occurred in people who inject drugs. However, the probable transmission of HIV via cosmetic services like vampire facials has not previously been documented.
When done appropriately, cosmetic treatments like microneedling and botox injections should present no risk of HIV transmission. This report, however, illustrates the potential risk associated with these services and the importance of basic safety precautions. More broadly, it illustrates the value of harm reduction strategies. For people who inject drugs, needle exchange programs and similar syringe services programs decrease the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C. These programs need to be embraced.
