They contracted HIV due to unsanitary procedures at the spa

At least three women were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in New Mexico after undergoing a skin treatment known as the “vampire facial,” according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). States.

The agency shared its investigation report into how several people likely became infected with HIV after receiving this treatment at VIP Spa in Albuquerque.

The first cases of HIV linked to a beauty salon were found in customers who reported exposure to needles during “vampire facials” sessions, prompting the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) to offer free testing to the establishment’s clients.

The cosmetic procedure, also known as microneedling, involves taking plasma from the blood and separating it from the blood cells, then injecting it back into the face using microneedles. Those who promote the technique, including celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian, claim it improves the appearance of the skin.

The CDC report said that while the contamination likely occurred in the cabin, the exact source of the contamination remains a mystery.

The Albuquerque VIP Spa has since closed.

HIV directly attacks the immune system of an infected person and weakens it, making him susceptible to various diseases or infections, including AIDS.

“These are people who had no known risk of contracting HIV,” CDC epidemiologist Anna Stadelman-Behar said, according to the Washington Post. “It was a shock to them, of course.”

Since 2018, three middle-aged women treated at a VIP spa without a predisposition to developing HIV, as well as the sexual partner of one of these women, have been tested for the virus.