Razor blade - Help

[VeryConcernedMortal]

Hi,

Thanks for the wonderful service that you have been providing through this website. I searched the archives for HIV spreading through razors, but am unable to convince myself that there is no risk.

I went to the local barber shop. There were 2 non-electric straight razors (with disposable blades) and 1 electric razor lying on the table before me. The barber changed the blade (new) in a straight razor and gave me a shave. After that I got my hair colored, etc. (about an hour passed). The barber then picked up a razor and just used 5 strokes to tidy up my side burns. Here is the point of confusion. I'm not sure if he used the same razor that he used to shave me as the other razor had a blade that was used on some other customer before me.

After those 5 strokes, he was about to proceed to remove some unwanted hair on the back of my neck and I stopped him and asked him to use the electric razor/clipper. This is the second point of confusion. Assuming that the electric razor was used on another customer atleast 15 minutes before he used it on me and it was not sanitized in any way between these uses, what do you think are my chances of exposure to HIV from these 2 incidents?

I did not see any blood on the electric or the non-electric razor. I did not get any visible cuts from the 5 strokes (in the area close to side burns) or at the back of my neck from the electric razor.

Thanks for your help.

[LIZZIE LOU]

you had NO risk from what you have described.

once exposed to air...hiv becomes inactive and unable to infect.

[tomMulligan]

"what do you think are my chances of exposure to HIV from these 2 incidents?" No. You have no exposure.  HIV are transmitted from unprotected vaginal / anal intercourse, sharing iv drug works and mother to child. HIV cannot live outside from the host and from in-animate objects. You have no risk.