Three Women Got HIV from 'Vampire Facials' at an Unlicensed Spa
Trigger Warning: This article contains images of blood from a cosmetic procedure known as a “vampire facial.” Some readers may find the images graphic or disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
An unlicensed spa in New Mexico gave three women HIV through vampire facials. Blood vials were stored in a kitchen fridge next to food. Unwrapped syringes were scattered everywhere. Blood was getting reused on multiple clients.
The spa owner is now in prison. The women have HIV. These are the first documented HIV transmissions from a cosmetic procedure in U.S. history.
How This Happened
A woman in her 40s tested positive for HIV while traveling abroad in summer 2018. She had no history of drug use, blood transfusions, or risky sexual contact. She'd just gotten a vampire facial at a New Mexico spa earlier that year.
The CDC investigated and found the spa was unlicensed and running like a health code violation nightmare. Unlabelled blood tubes and medical injectables were stored in a kitchen fridge next to food. Unwrapped syringes were scattered in drawers and on counters. Blood vials showed signs of reuse.
At least one client who already had HIV had been to the spa. With reused blood vials and terrible sanitation, the facility was basically spreading diseases while charging people $1,000 to $2,000 for the privilege.
The CDC tied the spa to five HIV cases total. Four women got vampire facials between May and September 2018. One man was romantically involved with one of the women. Three of those women definitely contracted HIV from the spa itself.
Maria de Lourdes Ramos De Ruiz, the 62-year-old former owner, pled guilty in 2022 to practicing medicine without a license. She's serving three and a half years in prison. The spa closed in late 2018.
What Vampire Facials Actually Are
Kim Kardashian made these facials famous in 2013 by posting a selfie with her face covered in blood after the procedure. A few years later she said she'd never do it again because it was "really rough and painful."
That should have been everyone's first clue.
The treatment involves drawing your blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to separate platelet-rich plasma, then injecting that plasma back into your face through tiny needle punctures. The idea is stimulating collagen and elastin production to reduce wrinkles and acne scars.
Hundreds of medical studies suggest it can work for some skin conditions, sports injuries, acne, and eczema. The American Academy of Dermatology Association says the procedure appears safe when done correctly. Patients might experience pain, bruising, and swelling afterward that goes away within a few days.
"When done correctly" being the key phrase here.
The Problem
The biggest risk is how facilities handle the blood. It needs to stay sterile. The blood being injected back needs to belong to the client, not someone else.
The New Mexico spa failed both requirements spectacularly. Blood was stored improperly. Equipment was reused. Cross-contamination was everywhere. Three women contracted HIV as a result.
This Isn't the Only Problem
U.S. health officials warned last week about a botulism outbreak tied to counterfeit Botox. Twenty-two people in 11 states got sick. Some ended up hospitalized with blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and breathing, slurred speech, and fatigue.
Botox injections typically cost around $530 per treatment. Counterfeit Botox costs less and can literally paralyze you.
What You Should Do
Vampire facials can be safe at licensed facilities with proper protocols. But they involve drawing blood, handling needles, and injecting substances back into your face. One misstep can ruin lives.
If you're considering vampire facials or any injectable cosmetic procedure, verify the facility is licensed and follows safety protocols. Check reviews. Ask questions. Watch how they handle equipment. Don't ignore red flags because you want to save money or are desperate for results.
Three women learned this lesson the hardest way possible. They went to an unlicensed spa for a cosmetic treatment and contracted HIV because the owner stored blood next to food and reused equipment. That's not a tragic accident. That's criminal negligence that resulted in a prison sentence and lifetime HIV infections for the victims.
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