Two people test positive for HIV after having vampire facials

Two people have contracted HIV after undergoing vampire facials in the US.

The clients tested positive for the disease after having the treatment at a day spa in New Mexico. It is thought that they may have been infected by needles used for the procedure. Their treatments took place at the VIP Spa in Albuquerque between May and September of last year. There are now fears that more people could have been infected at the clinic, which was closed last September after health inspectors found "practices that could potentially spread blood-borne infections".

"Additional laboratory testing on specimens from the two clients indicates recent infection with the same HIV virus – increasing the likelihood that the two HIV infections may have resulted from a procedure at the VIP Spa," the New Mexico Department of Health said in a statement.

All previous clients at the spa are now being invited for free HIV and hepatitis B and C virus testing by the health department. "Testing is important for everyone as there are effective treatments for HIV and many hepatitis infections,” said Kathy Kunzel, the department's Cabinet Secretary. It is urging anyone seeking cosmetic procedures in the future to make sure they get it done by a licensed medical professional.  

What is the vampire facial?

We've seen the likes of Kim Kardashian and Fearne McCann undergo this gruesome-looking treatment, but what exactly does it entail? Officially known as a Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy, it's when blood is drawn from a patient's arm and then spun in a centrifuge machine to separate the plasma and platelets from red blood cells. What's left is the PRP, which is then either applied directly to the client's face either or injected with a microneedling technique. The PRP is supposedly loaded with protein and stem cells to boost elasticity and collagen production in the skin. The treatment is most commonly used for to improve the appearance of pores, acne scars and fine lines.