image captionThis is believed to be the first case in the US where patients were infected with HIV during a cosmetic procedure
April 30, 2024
The recent news that women in the US contracted HIV during a plasma lifting procedure raised questions about the safety of some cosmetic procedures.
At least three women were infected at a spa in New Mexico in 2018, according to a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report also says that these cases shed light on new ways of spreading the infection.
This is believed to be the first-ever cosmetic procedure-related HIV transmission documented in the United States.
What is plasma lifting and how did women get infected with HIV during it? What can people do to protect themselves from infections during cosmetic procedures?
We explain what is known about it and what experts say.
What is plasma lifting
Plasmolifting, or PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) is a common cosmetic procedure, during which the patient is injected with platelet-rich plasma of his own blood. Since the procedure involves actions with blood, it is sometimes called “Dracula therapy”.
During the procedure, the doctor takes blood from a person’s vein, uses a centrifuge to extract platelet-rich plasma from it, and then injects it under the skin with a thin needle.
It is believed that the procedure improves the processes of regeneration (rejuvenation) of the skin, stimulating the production of new collagen and elastin. It can reduce the appearance of wrinkles or acne scars.
The procedure has been known for many years. Back in 2013, the star of the reality show Kim Kardashian showed her face after the procedure on Instagram.
However, a few years later, Kardashian said that she would no longer do this procedure because it was “difficult and painful for me.”
The procedure usually takes 40 minutes, it is prescribed in a course with an interval of 2-3 weeks.
A review of cosmetic sites in Ukraine shows that the average cost of plasma lifting is approximately 3 thousand hryvnias.
Photo copyright: Instagram/Kim Kardashian
image captionKim Kardashian posted a photo of herself after the procedure in 2013
How did the New Mexico women get HIV?
In the summer of 2018, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States became aware of an American woman aged 40-50 who tested positive for HIV while abroad.
The woman reported that she did not use injection drugs, had no recent blood transfusions, and had no sexual contact with anyone other than her current partner.
However, she revealed that she had a plasma facelift at a spa in New Mexico earlier that year.
A CDC investigation found the spa, which also provided other injectable services like Botox injections, was unlicensed and used “unsafe infection control practices.”
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In the cabin, they found “unlabeled blood tubes and medical injections” stored in the kitchen refrigerator next to food, as well as “unwrapped syringes” scattered in drawers and on counters.
Some vials of blood also showed signs of reuse, and the CDC found at least one customer who had tested positive for HIV before visiting the spa.
Since then, the health agency has linked the spa to five cases of HIV, including four women who underwent plasma-lifting procedures between May and September 2018, as well as a man who was in a relationship with one of the women.
According to the CDC, late-stage HIV infection in a man and woman in a relationship indicates that they contracted the disease before the facial.
The spa closed at the end of 2018, and its former owner, 62-year-old Maria de Lourdes Ramos De Ruiz, is serving a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence. In 2022, she pleaded guilty to practicing medicine without a license.
Are these procedures safe?
Hundreds of published medical scientific papers and studies show that plasma lifting is effective in treating some sports injuries, acne, eczema and other skin conditions.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association says the procedure itself, if done correctly, is safe.
“Afterwards, you may have some pain at the injection site, as well as some minor bruising and swelling,” says the association. “These usually disappear within a few days.”
The greatest risk is related to how the blood is processed by the facility providing the treatment.
“It is important that the blood taken from your body is sterile. Otherwise, you may develop an infection,” the association says.
It is also important to make sure that the blood that is given back belongs to the client and not someone else, otherwise the recipient could become seriously ill.
Experts say that those who want to get beauty treatments should make sure in advance that the salon has a license. They should also pay attention to how staff handle medical equipment such as needles.
Plasma lifting is not the only cosmetic treatment that has recently made headlines in connection with a serious illness.
US health officials warned last week of an outbreak of botulism linked to counterfeit Botox that has sickened 22 people in 11 states, some of whom are still hospitalized.
Botulism is a serious illness that causes blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and breathing, and slurred speech and fatigue.
Botox injections are a popular procedure used to smooth out wrinkles and make the skin look younger. Typically, injections cost about $530 per treatment.
As with plasma lifting, the CDC advises those considering Botox injections to research the provider beforehand and make sure the Botox the esthetician uses is licensed and purchased from a reliable source.
