Three women diagnosed with HIV after cosmetic treatments

Three women were diagnosed with HIV in the United States of America after receiving beauty treatments in a place not licensed for that purpose. They are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic needle procedure.

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, released last week, the spa where the treatments were performed reused disposable equipment that should only be used once.

One of the risks of transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus is the “sharing of needles, syringes or other equipment used in the preparation of illicit drugs for injection”, according to the Directorate-General for Health.

Still, the report states that these are the first documented cases of contamination involving cosmetic treatments.

Many of these popular treatments are applied with needles, such as botox to eliminate wrinkles or lip fillers.

According to the Associated Press, the three women underwent a “vampire facial”, a Platelet Rich Plasma procedure. The client’s own blood is extracted and, using small needles, injected into the face to rejuvenate the skin.

North American health authorities began investigating the spa in 2018, when they were notified of a woman in her 40s who tested positive for HIV, despite having no known risk factors. The woman reported being exposed to needles during treatment.

The establishment closed a few months after the investigation was opened. The owner was accused of practicing medicine without a license.

The report concludes that the investigation showed how important it is to require infection control practices from companies that offer cosmetic needle treatments.

In July, ASAE announced the opening of around 90 criminal proceedings for the usurpation of aesthetic medicine functions by administering botox in clinics, beauty salons and hairdressers.

At issue was the practice of medical acts by “unqualified people” and the consequent “permanent and irreversible physical damage” that it can cause.