Concerns Raised Over the Safety of the "Vampire Facial" Treatment

(kimkardashian/instagram)

Amidst the shut down of a beauty spa in Albuquerque, New Mexico, there have been raised concerns about the safety of "vampire facials", after health authorities fear clients who received treatments may have been exposed to blood - borne infections.

In a statement issued on Monday, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) advises anybody who recently received any type of injection-based treatment at the 'VIP Spa' on Tijeras Avenue to get their blood tested for infections.

To mitigate such a spread of infections aesthetic medicine practitioners are advised to use disposable needles, which are to be opened in front of clients and sterile conditions must be kept. Although the owner of VIP Spa, claims to have been doing this, officials noted that several practices were identified that could spread diseases. Issued a cease and desist letter, the facility was immediately shut down. It appears that a tip was given courtesy of a former client of the spa, who developed an infection that possibly resulted from what was going on there. At the very least, the spa was not medically licensed and it is assumed it may have been shut down as only medical practitioners are allowed to draw blood.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) published an alert Tuesday recommending HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C testing for all past clients of the spa.

For those not aware, a "vampire facial" is the latest beauty fad, which gained momentum and popularity through celebrities like Kim Kardashian. In medical terms, Platent-rich Plasma (PRP) is a minimally invasive non-surgical treatment which involves concentrating the levels of platelets from patient's own blood sample and injection it into specifically chosen areas. Scientific research has shown that platelets serve as a reservoir for several molecules, including growth-factors which promote wound healing.