HIV Found in Patients Who Received Vampire Facial at a New Mexico Spa
What is a Vampire Facial?
A vampire facial is a type of microneedling procedure where your blood is drawn, spun in a centrifuge, then the plasma layer of that blood is taken and applied to your face with injections or during a microneedling procedure. This procedure is very popular and stimulates collagen giving an overall rejuvenation effect to the face. Since we are puncturing your skin and using your own blood, this procedure must be done by a qualified professional, with clean new syringes, needles, tubes, and with the utmost care. If not done with appropriate safety measures, this procedure does have the potential to spread bloodborne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Microneedling punctures a hole in your skin and causes you to bleed, this alone could transmit disease. Adding in the fact that the vampire facial draws your own blood in a larger quantity and uses it for the cosmetic procedure increases the risk if not done properly. As illustrated in this very sad case from New Mexico, when unlicensed professionals, or people who don’t understand bloodborne and infectious diseases, are performing these procedures catastrophic outcomes are real and possible.
How To Ensure You’re Getting Safe Care
In the state of Nevada, you must have a phlebotomist certification or higher, such as an RN or physician, and be licensed to perform blood draws. These requirements protect patients from uneducated providers putting them at risk. In addition, it is also the law in the state of Nevada that you must be an RN or higher to inject something into someone. This means that all procedures such as PRP injections, filler, and Botox cannot be performed by anyone but RNs, PA’s, nurse practitioners, or physicians/dentists. The one exception to this rule is that medical assistants can do vaccinations, but they must have a physician on site and be supervised and trained by that physician in order to perform these vaccinations.
What Does This Mean For You As The Consumer?
If you’ve read the CNN article that I have linked to here, I will reiterate these points. Only go to licensed professionals for these services, make sure they are opening the package for needles and discarding them in a sharps container afterward. If you don’t see a sharps container in a room where any injections or blood is going to be utilized you should leave. Ask about the qualifications of the person performing your service. Are they a physician (MD or DO), are they a nurse (RN), are they a physician’s assistant (PA), are they a nurse practitioner (NP), or are they a phlebotomist? Ask about licensure. Is your doctor board certified by the board in that field? As a dermatologist I would not be extracting teeth or reading an ECG, so should you go to a dentist or a cardiologist to have a cosmetic procedure? Is the supervising provider on site? Will that provider be doing your service, drawing your blood, and doing your injections, or will those tasks be delegated to someone else?
Vampire Facials at Janiga MD’s
In our office, our providers are either medical doctors or nurse practitioners. Only these licensed providers can do injections such as Botox and filler, draw blood, or perform vampire facials. In our office, our licensures and certifications are clearly displayed for all patients to see and evaluate. This should be how it is done, to the highest standard, for your safety. As a patient you should be your own advocate, ask questions, investigate, protect yourself. Those of us who are licensed and qualified to do these services will never be bothered that you asked us what our qualifications are. Only those that aren’t qualified will bluster at the request.
Injectables such as Botox and filler, micro needling, and vampire facials are safe if done properly, please seek out only licensed professionals for any type of service that punctures your skin, it is the only way to be safe.
