If you are one of the unlucky women who received a “vampire facial” in the last year – you may want to get checked for HIV, Media Take Out has learned.
On Wednesday, the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) announced that they had identified a client of VIP Spa with a recently diagnosed HIV case linked to a “vampire facial” the patient received in 2018. This patient was not the first to be diagnosed with HIV following a procedure at VIP Spa — in 2019, two other patients contracted HIV after receiving vampire facials at the spa, Insider previously reported.
The DOH’s investigation found that there were “additional HIV infections with direct or indirect connection with services provided at the VIP Spa,” according to a statement released by the agency.
“It’s very important that we spread the word and remind people who received any kind of injection-related to services provided at the VIP Spa to come in for free and confidential testing,” said Dr. Laura Parajon, deputy secretary for DOH, in the statement.
Vampire facials — also known as plasma-rich protein (PRP) facials — are a type cosmetic procedure that uses the patient’s own blood to reduce the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles, as well as fade sun damage.
During the procedure, a small amount of blood from the patient is collected, from which protein-rich plasma and platelets are separated. The mixture is then introduced back to the skin, either through microneedling — which involves many small punctures across the forehead and cheeks — or by injecting the blood into the skin like filler, a procedure known as a “vampire facelift.”
[social_warfare]