Should I be concerned?

Dear Dr:

Thanks for the valuable service you provide.

I am concerned about a symptom that corresponds with some HIVers. Here is my history:

Hetero male 30, slept with 4 women over the past five years with condoms every single time and cannot recall a break. Over the past five years since my last HIV test so all of the intercourse was "protected". But what worries me is that, I have developed seborrheic dermatitis which is mild on the scalp, nose, and sometimes appears in the armpits. It does not appear if I use head and shoulders shampoo on the body a couple of times a week. If I don't use the shampoo, it comes back. Does this mean my immune system is compromised? Other than the seborrheic dermatitis I have not experienced any other symptoms matching with HIV.

Can I look forward to a negative result when I test?

Thanks very much.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If your result was anything other than negative I would be very, very surprised.  You note that since your last test all encounters have been condom protected.  Thus, as long as you are not using contaminated needles you have no reason for concern.

Seborrheic dermatitis, like many conditions that are seen in HIV (yeast infections come to mind) is a condition whose frequency increases with HIV but which is also very, very common in persons without HIV.  It also has a tendency to commonly recur.  In fact far and away the vast majority of persons with seborrheic dermatitis or with HIV do not have HIV.  Further, there is no evidence that this is a sign of any sort of immune compromise.  I urge you not to worry.  EWH

[symptomology]

Definitely never touched needles doc. Just the protected sex encounters.
Thanks