Herpes

Is it possible to contract herpes without sexual contact.  If your hand would come into contact with an effected area directly prior to masturbation on your part would you be at high risk of contracting genital herpes.  Also if soap was being used as a luburcant would this help kill off the virus and reduce the risk.  My genitals never came into contact with partners skin, only rubbed my hand across her butt area and back, no contact with her genitals and she never touched mine.  thank you.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

If you touch a fresh lesion with open or oozing blisters, it is possible, at least in theory, to transmit it to yourself if you touch yourself right away.  However, that is very hard to do--you'd almost have to be trying to do it.  If your partner had an open blister on her buttock, then maybe there's a risk.  If you didn't see an actual sore (they're usually at the base of the spine, and look just like oral cold sores), then I don't think there's much risk at all.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff