Women diagnosed with HIV after facial popularised by Kim Kardashian

At least three women have been diagnosed with HIV after vampire facial popularised by reality TV celebrity Kim Kardashian.

The United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the three women contracted HIV after going through the microneedling procedure at an unregistered medical spa in New Mexico, an Indian media outlet reported.

Blood extracted from elsewhere on the body is then injected into the face for new and fresh skin in the procedure popularised by Kim Kardashian.

The centre in its report suggested the diagnoses marked the first HIV case transmitted through cosmetic injection.

The investigation began in 2018 after authorities in New Mexico were informed about a diagnosis of HIV in a woman who had no known HIV risk factors.

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However, the affected woman had disclosed doing the vampire facial at a spa in which she was exposed to needles.

“An

investigation of the spa’s services began in the summer of 2018, and NMDOH and CDC identified four former spa clients, and one sexual partner of a spa client, all of whom received HIV infection diagnoses during 2018–2023, despite low reported behavioral risks associated with HIV acquisition,” it read.

The CDC reported that transmission of HIV via such unsafe procedure was a known risk, however, determining HIV transmission in persons with no known risk factors was important.

Medical spas draw blood from a part of the client’s body and process it to remove palettes and then inject the plasma into the face for skin rejuvenation and reducing the appearance of acne scars.

Meanwhile, cosmetology and dermatology at Artemis Hospitals head Monica Bambroo said that cases of people contracting HIV via vampire facials were extremely rare.

“However, the risk arises if proper sterilisation procedures aren’t followed during the procedure. If the equipment used isn’t properly sterilised between patients, there’s a potential for bloodborne infections like HIV to be transmitted,” said Dr Bambroo.