A criminal probe is underway after four women, who received skin revitalization therapy at a beauty salon, required hospitalization for a potentially lethal blood infection, three of them receiving intensive care.

The three women, aged between 46 to 60, had undergone intravascular infusions at a Causeway Bay center of the DR Medical Beauty Group on Wednesday afternoon, as part of the “DC-CIK” treatment.

They were taken to hospitals on Wednesday and Thursday after suffering deepening headaches and diarrhea, later diagnosed as septic shock, a form of acute and severe blood infection. All three remained in critical condition on Friday.

“This treatment involves concentration and processing of blood taken from the person, which is subsequently infused back to the patient. According to investigation, the treatment was provided by a registered medical practitioner,” a spokesperson of the Health Department said.

The DR Group clarified in a statement that the intravenous infusion was conducted by certified doctors at a clinic independent of the DR Group. It added that the patients’ conditions were assessed prior to the commencement of therapy.

Names of neither the practitioner nor the clinic were disclosed by either side.

The Regional Crime Unit of Hong Kong Island, joined by Health Department, began an investigation on Thursday. Officers garnered information at DR’s treatment centers and at a laboratory in Tai Po, which was believed to have processed the patients’ blood mixture.

Secretary for health and hygiene, Ko Wing-man, pledged to find out who must be held responsible, “I can promise that since the nature of this incident is serious, a thorough investigation is a must.”

Apart from the three critically ill patients, government investigators were able to contact only 35 of 41 customers on the salon’s record shown to have received the therapy. Other clients of DR were urged to consult a doctor if they feel uncomfortable after similar treatments.

The DR web site made no reference to a treatment called “DC-CIK”, but a treatment called “platelet rich plasma” resembles similar procedures.

Based upon a claim that “growth factors” can be released from blood platelets through laboratory procedures, clients had their blood extracted, treated and reinjected into the skin to reduce wrinkles and ostensibly to encourage revitalization. The plasma was also said to be available for home use, in the form of “essence oil”.

A stem cell treatment was also offered promising benefits beyond “better-looking skin”. The founder of DR Group, Stephen Chow Heung-wing, said in a video interview that stem cells, cultivated from the same person’s fat tissues, could increase overall vitality if infused through intravenous injection.

“A 70-year-old man used to swim 50 meters a day. After an infusion of stem cells, he is now able to swim 100 meters,” he said. He also claimed there is no requirement for clinical testing to apply stem cell therapies for beauty purposes.

Dermatologist Louis Shih Tai-cho said he has never heard of an infusion therapy that could deliver a beauty effect. Chung King-lueh, a dermatologist who also provides beauty treatments, said intravenous injection should be conducted only in a hospital.

“No one would do it in a clinic because we know it risks blood contamination by bacteria,” Chung said. But he said blood extraction at clinics is a less risky process.

The blurred line between medical treatment and beauty treatments has raised an alarm in the industry. Amy Hui Wai-fung, president of the Beauty and Fitness Professionals General Union, said the union has been calling for better regulation on use of medical procedures in beauty treatments since 2004, but the government has been reluctant to act.

The lack of regulation, in the end, also exposes front line staff to criminal liability. “Some of the beauticians are just employed,” she said. “They’ve got to do it even they’ve received little training. What will happen if they made a mistake?”

Even the owners of salons prefer more regulation for the sake of guidance. Nelson Ip Sai-hung, founding chairman of the Federation of Beauty Industry, said the people are confused when they find out “there is a clinic inside a salon, or a beauty department inside a clinic”.

Ip suggested that the authority could state clear what treatments are to be performed by registered doctors.

The DR Group, founded in 1995, claimed to have served an average of over 1,000 customers every day at over 20 locations across Hong Kong.

It set up a stem cell research center in 2010 in collaboration with the Jinan Bio-medicine Research and Development Center in Guangzhou. Stephen Chow also said it has provided the stem cell therapy to regular customers from the mainland.

kahon@chinadailyhk.com