18-hour-old wound on penis shaft, condom didnot cover

Hello.

I'm very depressed right now because of this fear. Please please answer at your earliest convenience.

I had sex with a prostitute 3 days ago in Bangkok, Thailand, using condom. When I went back to hotel room, I noticed a 0.5x0.5 cm wound on the shaft of my penis near the base where the condom did not cover.

I got this wound because I had Tinea Cruris for days and I was recommended to apply hydrogen peroxide as a treatment. The 3% H2O2 was very corrosive and caused this 0.5-cm wound (no blood, more like an abrasion or skin peel from corrosion) and many other tinier stinging wounds.

The last treatment was about 18 hours before the intercourse which means these wounds were 18 hours old at that time (but not completely healed and still stung and looked pink and raw at that time).

My question is whether this 18-hour-old 0.5-cm wound from H2O2 corrosion was still a path for HIV transmission, assuming the wound was not covered by condom and exposed to vaginal secretion both inside and outside vagina (since it is on the shaft). The wound is still a bit sting on my last shower.

Is my risk high?

Desperately looking forward to your kind reply.

Thank you.

[joggen]

As long as the head of your penis was covered with a condom, there was no risk for HIV. Minor abrasions, cuts, etc. on the shaft make no difference. You do not have a HIV concern. You should just forget about this and move on with your life, fully confident that you did not catch HIV from this episode.

[johny147]

Thank you very much for your prompt reply and your kind empathy.

I've been trying to get over this problem after hearing from you. But one question that still bothers my mind is that, didn't the characteristics of the wound (size, depth, cause, duration before intercourse) make significant difference on my risk?

Although there was no visible blood, it seemed like outer skin was removed by corrosion revealing pink/white flesh. The wound was not very microscopic (0.5 cm) and was not completely healed (18 hours when the intercourse took place).

Do you still confirm your idea and should I stop my concern about this?

Thank you.

[rio_branco]

My best bet would be that the odds are in your favor.
HIV is an extremely fragile virus which is rendered inactive immediately after it's exposed to elements outside the body, such as air.
Assuming that the condom does not cover the base of the penis where the wound is, the wound has been exposed to the air several times. This was when you pulled your penis out several times during the intercourse.
Besides, insertive vaginal sex is a lower-risk activity compared to receptive vaginal sex, anal sex, or injecting drug from a shared needle. Studies show that vaginal secretion contains lower concentration of HIV than blood and semen.

To put your mind at ease, get a test at the 8th week. Then test again at the 12th week, in which the result is unlikely to change and most definitively conclusive.    

[johny147]

Thank you very much. Your reply is also very informative.


My last question. After 18 hours, do you think the wound had been sealed enough to prevent HIV from entering bloodstream?

Thank you.

[ricky_id]

HIV doesn't seep through wound, unless the wound is wide enough that it needs to get stitched. Even by then, the chance will be remote.

[joggen]

The skin has several layers so minor abrasions such as what you describe would be insufficient as there would be additional layers of skin that would prevent the virus from getting into your blood stream.

[johny147]

Thank you guys very much for your answers. I really appreciate your helps.

And please do not get tired of my anxiety as my mind is so fragile at the moment.


I have a new worry since last night (about 5 days and 4 hours after the intercourse) as I started to develop bad sore throat, low fever, and fatigue.

Are these ARS symptoms?


Thank you.

[Teak]

You've never had a risk so no your symptoms are not ARS.