CDC says it’s identified 1st documented cases of HIV transmitted through cosmetic needles

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Three women diagnosed with HIV after undergoing “vampire facials” at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa may be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure involving needles, they said federal health officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week in its Morbidity and Mortality Report that an investigation into the clinic from 2018 through 2023 found that disposable materials intended for one use were reused.

Although HIV transmission through infected blood via non-sterile injection is a known risk, the report says this is the first documentation of likely infections involving cosmetic services.

Many popular cosmetic treatments are performed with needles, such as Botox to smooth wrinkles and fillers to plump lips. A “vampire facial,” a microneedling procedure using platelet-rich plasma, involves collecting the client’s own blood, separating its components, and then using tiny needles to inject plasma into the face to rejuvenate the skin. Tattoos also require needles.

The New Mexico Department of Health began investigating the spa in the summer of 2018 after being informed that a woman in her 40s had tested positive for HIV, even though she had no known risk factors. The woman reported exposure to needles during the procedure at the clinic that spring.

The spa closed in the fall of 2018 after the investigation began and the owner was prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license.

According to the report, the research showed the importance of requiring infection control practices at companies offering cosmetic procedures involving needles.

It also noted that the investigation was delayed by poor record-keeping and said companies providing such services should keep better records in case customers need to be contacted later.