First HIV infection in aesthetic medicine

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced the alarming results of an investigation into an unlicensed clinic in New Mexico.

According to the agency's findings, cosmetic procedures called "vampire lifts," or platelet-rich plasma mesotherapy, were performed there without proper hygiene measures.

The procedure involves injecting platelet-rich plasma extracted from the patient's blood into the skin to reduce wrinkles and is popular with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Angelina Jolie, among others.

Unfortunately, as a result of failing to follow basic sterilization practices, three people were infected with HIV, even though they were not exposed to the typical risk factors associated with the virus, such as drug use, blood transfusions or risky sexual behavior.

The investigation revealed that the same disposable needles were used repeatedly, a clear violation of medical standards.

The scandal led to the closure of the clinic, and its owner was charged with numerous offenses, including lack of a medical license and failure to meet applicable sanitary standards. The incident sparked widespread discussion about safety and regulation in the cosmetic industry.

To ensure the safety of ourselves as well as patients and to avoid similar incidents in the future, it is extremely important to sterilize instruments. A guarantee of absolute safety are class B sterilizers, which 100% eliminate all microorganisms from instruments, thus making them fully reusable. Such sterilizers are all autoclaves from the Swiss company Enbio.

These devices are steam-pressure autoclaves and are used in many medical facilities and beauty salons.

The use of such solutions is key to ensuring the highest level of protection for patients and minimizing the risk of infections transmitted by blood and other body fluids. The New Mexico case demonstrates the importance of continuous monitoring and enforcement of sanitation regulations in the beauty industry.