A former New Mexico spa owner is facing 24 felony charges over vampire facials.
A vampire facial is an injection procedure when a small amount of a client’s blood is drawn and then spun in a centrifuge to extract plasma. That plasma is then injected into the face with a needle. This procedure is meant to stimulate tissue repair and regeneration. But one former salon in Albuquerque, New Mexico has closed after it illegally conducted and mishandled the procedure.
According to KOAT7 Action News, the VIP Salon closed in September of 2018 after an inspection found that the spa could potentially infect clients with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. The New Mexico Department of Health then announced in 2019 that two clients had indeed tested positive for HIV after receiving a vampire facial from the salon.
Last week, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced Maria de Lourdes Ramos de Ruiz, the salon’s former owner, has been charged with 24 felony charges such as 12 counts of tax evasion, six counts of money laundering, a count of fraud, and five counts of practicing medicine without a license.
In terms of the last group of charges, vampire facials can only be conducted by a medical professional. According to the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, the VIP Spa and Maria de Lourdes Ramos de Ruiz did not have a licensed professional to draw the blood.
RT then reports that the instigation also found unsatisfactory health and safety conditions. Vials of blood sat beside food in a refrigerator, other blood was dumped into a kitchen sink, unwrapped needles littered the salon, and tubing was allegedly uncleaned between clients. In addition, “dangerous” drugs and medical equipment were found in the salon.
“Individuals who jeopardize the health and safety of New Mexican families must be held accountable,” said Attorney General Balderas in a statement. “We look forward to presenting this case at trial.”
If found guilty on all counts, Ramos de Ruiz could face up to 62 years in prison.
My God this story is terrifying