Aa
The Shaft vs the Glans
Hi everyone, I'm new hear but was wondering if I could get an answer (and maybe some links to sources?) to a question: is there any risk of HIV transmission through licking the shaft of the penis? Let me give you some background so you can see my specific concerns.
I just had my first sexual encounter with a male. I gave him a handjob for a few minutes, and once licked the shaft of his penis. I didn't lick the glans of the penis, just the shaft. I didn't see any precum, blood, or semen, and he had no open sores, bleeding wounds, or even abrasions (except maybe the one I gave him when I told him it just wasn't doing it for me).
I've read that there is no risk of HIV transmission through handjobs, but that there is a risk from blowjobs, because of contact between the mouth and the mucus membrane/glans of the penis. However, I've never seen a clear answer about someone licking the shaft of the penis during a handjob, and I would really like to know. Right now my anxiety is under control, but I don't really know what to think about the risks of what I did.
I guess that, because there was no exchange of bodily fluids, I couldn't contract HIV, but I'd still really appreciate an answer.
I just had my first sexual encounter with a male. I gave him a handjob for a few minutes, and once licked the shaft of his penis. I didn't lick the glans of the penis, just the shaft. I didn't see any precum, blood, or semen, and he had no open sores, bleeding wounds, or even abrasions (except maybe the one I gave him when I told him it just wasn't doing it for me).
I've read that there is no risk of HIV transmission through handjobs, but that there is a risk from blowjobs, because of contact between the mouth and the mucus membrane/glans of the penis. However, I've never seen a clear answer about someone licking the shaft of the penis during a handjob, and I would really like to know. Right now my anxiety is under control, but I don't really know what to think about the risks of what I did.
I guess that, because there was no exchange of bodily fluids, I couldn't contract HIV, but I'd still really appreciate an answer.
One more thing...getting in the habit of testing for HIV when it's not necessary will only fuel your anxiety, AND place you at risk for a false + somewhere along the way. You want to talk about anxiety???
We see it time and time again...anxious people testing frequently, over testing, only to end up with a false + test, which throws them into a tail spin.
You don't need testing...instead, spend your time, energy and money on a mental health professional who can help you work through these fears you have.
We see it time and time again...anxious people testing frequently, over testing, only to end up with a false + test, which throws them into a tail spin.
You don't need testing...instead, spend your time, energy and money on a mental health professional who can help you work through these fears you have.
You're over-analyzing this.
It's really quite simple and straightforward.
The science and research has shown that the HIV virus needs a set of near PERFECT circumstances for transmission to occur. If ANY of those factors are not present, or are impaired in any way...transmission cannot and will not occur.
The factors NEEDED for transmission (not some, ALL of them must be present):
1. For one, the partner you're having a sexual encounter with MUST be HIV+. The facts are, the vast majority of people do NOT have HIV. It's actually very rare, despite what people are taught. There are 1.1 million people in the US who are HIV +. The total US population is 316.13 million (2013). You do the math. NOT very likely that you're going to come across an infected person too often, if ever at all.
The people who typically end up infected are engaging in continued, frequent very high risk behaviors (IV drug use with sharing of equipment, males having unprotected anal sex with other males). Run of the mill sexual encounters of a heterosexual nature are very low on the risk list. Pretty much, if a person commits to using a condom each and every time they have vaginal or anal sex, HIV will NEVER be a concern. It really IS that simple!!
2. The virus MUST still be active (aka "alive") to allow for transmission. The virus very rapidly loses its ability to infect when it's exposed to environmental elements (air, pH, etc).
Everyone wants to know "HOW LONG???". The answer varies depending on the environmental factors, but the important thing to remember is, once that virus leaves the host, it begins to essentially "break down" immediately. The outer shell of the virus becomes damaged, which is the part of the virus that must be viable to allow for transmission. It's the outer shell of the virus that latches on to the T-cells in the receptive partner when transmitting the virus.
So, for argument's sake, even if the virus isn't completely 100% inactive, it's still loses its ability to infect once it has been exposed to the elements. This is why ONLY insertive vaginal or anal sex would allow for transmission, and why all other sex acts are not a concern.
3. There MUST be a portal of entry that allows the virus to get into the receptive partner, and most importantly, find its way to the bloodstream. That has to happen. There are only a couple ways to achieve this.
One is directly introduced to the bloodstream, like in an IV drug sharing scenario. The one drug user pulls BACK on the syringe plunger, to ensure he/she is in a vein, which causes blood to go into the barrel of the syringe. The NEXT user essentially injects that blood (which is well preserved in that barrel) DIRECTLY into their bloodstream. Many people worry about blood exposures. A "blood to blood" scenario is super rare, and it would have to be very significant to cause a concern...meaning no concern at the barber shop, or after getting a paper cut, etc.
The other is introduction to the body via a mucous membranes. Now, there are a lot of mucous membranes in the body, but not all are ideal for the virus to find its way in. The main mucous membranes involved in transmission are the urethral lining of a male's penis, the woman's vagina, and the rectum. There are other mucous membranes, like in the mouth, and nose...BUT, not all mucous membranes are created equal. You can read more in my health page about HIV and oral sex:
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/HIV/HIV-AND-ORAL-SEX-THE-FACTS/show/1278?cid=68
4. Finally, there MUST be a sufficient amount of infectious fluids to cause a risk. The ONLY bodily fluids that contain HIV are blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal secretions, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. There has to be exposure to a large amount of said fluids to even cause a risk....a drop or two of a fluid isn't a concern.
Hopefully this helped to calm your fears. I'd strongly advise not googling for information...that's only going to fuel your anxiety.
Again.....VERY simple, and not much to have to think about.....don't share IV drugs, and always use a condom for vaginal or anal sex (unless you're monogamous with a partner and are tested together routinely).
It's really quite simple and straightforward.
The science and research has shown that the HIV virus needs a set of near PERFECT circumstances for transmission to occur. If ANY of those factors are not present, or are impaired in any way...transmission cannot and will not occur.
The factors NEEDED for transmission (not some, ALL of them must be present):
1. For one, the partner you're having a sexual encounter with MUST be HIV+. The facts are, the vast majority of people do NOT have HIV. It's actually very rare, despite what people are taught. There are 1.1 million people in the US who are HIV +. The total US population is 316.13 million (2013). You do the math. NOT very likely that you're going to come across an infected person too often, if ever at all.
The people who typically end up infected are engaging in continued, frequent very high risk behaviors (IV drug use with sharing of equipment, males having unprotected anal sex with other males). Run of the mill sexual encounters of a heterosexual nature are very low on the risk list. Pretty much, if a person commits to using a condom each and every time they have vaginal or anal sex, HIV will NEVER be a concern. It really IS that simple!!
2. The virus MUST still be active (aka "alive") to allow for transmission. The virus very rapidly loses its ability to infect when it's exposed to environmental elements (air, pH, etc).
Everyone wants to know "HOW LONG???". The answer varies depending on the environmental factors, but the important thing to remember is, once that virus leaves the host, it begins to essentially "break down" immediately. The outer shell of the virus becomes damaged, which is the part of the virus that must be viable to allow for transmission. It's the outer shell of the virus that latches on to the T-cells in the receptive partner when transmitting the virus.
So, for argument's sake, even if the virus isn't completely 100% inactive, it's still loses its ability to infect once it has been exposed to the elements. This is why ONLY insertive vaginal or anal sex would allow for transmission, and why all other sex acts are not a concern.
3. There MUST be a portal of entry that allows the virus to get into the receptive partner, and most importantly, find its way to the bloodstream. That has to happen. There are only a couple ways to achieve this.
One is directly introduced to the bloodstream, like in an IV drug sharing scenario. The one drug user pulls BACK on the syringe plunger, to ensure he/she is in a vein, which causes blood to go into the barrel of the syringe. The NEXT user essentially injects that blood (which is well preserved in that barrel) DIRECTLY into their bloodstream. Many people worry about blood exposures. A "blood to blood" scenario is super rare, and it would have to be very significant to cause a concern...meaning no concern at the barber shop, or after getting a paper cut, etc.
The other is introduction to the body via a mucous membranes. Now, there are a lot of mucous membranes in the body, but not all are ideal for the virus to find its way in. The main mucous membranes involved in transmission are the urethral lining of a male's penis, the woman's vagina, and the rectum. There are other mucous membranes, like in the mouth, and nose...BUT, not all mucous membranes are created equal. You can read more in my health page about HIV and oral sex:
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/HIV/HIV-AND-ORAL-SEX-THE-FACTS/show/1278?cid=68
4. Finally, there MUST be a sufficient amount of infectious fluids to cause a risk. The ONLY bodily fluids that contain HIV are blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal secretions, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. There has to be exposure to a large amount of said fluids to even cause a risk....a drop or two of a fluid isn't a concern.
Hopefully this helped to calm your fears. I'd strongly advise not googling for information...that's only going to fuel your anxiety.
Again.....VERY simple, and not much to have to think about.....don't share IV drugs, and always use a condom for vaginal or anal sex (unless you're monogamous with a partner and are tested together routinely).
Okay, thank you. This gives me some peace of mind. I suffer from anxiety, and I am planning on getting a 4th gen combo test at ~28 days for additional peace of mind, but otherwise I believe I understand. Licking skin is not a risk, and the shaft of the penis is skin, therefore no risk.
I would not encourage you to be reading forums as they do fuel anxiety, the Dr's on this site and other PROFESSIONAL sites all agree, oral sex = no risk.
If a man unprotected vaginal sex with a woman, there is only a 1 in 1000 chance he will catch HIV if she has it...
You are perfectly safe with what you have done, you will not have caught HIV through this... Simply not possible! :)
If a man unprotected vaginal sex with a woman, there is only a 1 in 1000 chance he will catch HIV if she has it...
You are perfectly safe with what you have done, you will not have caught HIV through this... Simply not possible! :)
well, for one, saliva contains almost zero hiv and another, the enzymes in saliva render the virus incapable of bonding to a receptive cell.
Could you explain? Oral sex doesn't transmit HIV? I have never seen this from an expert, so I would appreciate a little explanation if you don't mind.
Hi there.
You have had no risk of HIV at all, forget it, don't research it and move on.
Oral sex does not transmit HIV, it is sometimes guilt / worry that drives us get worried but genuinely, you have not put yourself at risk in any way shape or for,.
Best Wishes
James
Ps - there are some sites on the web with such inadequate, out of date and flatly wrong information it is almost laughable.
You have had no risk of HIV at all, forget it, don't research it and move on.
Oral sex does not transmit HIV, it is sometimes guilt / worry that drives us get worried but genuinely, you have not put yourself at risk in any way shape or for,.
Best Wishes
James
Ps - there are some sites on the web with such inadequate, out of date and flatly wrong information it is almost laughable.
Could you clarify your comment for me. I've read the circumcision studies, and compared that to advice found on thebody and other places, and the only information I've found discusses the glans as a route of entry, but not a route of transmission. I.e., as mucus membranes they are susceptible to infection by HIV, but no evidence of people contracting HIV by contact with them. I'm also aware that most doctors do not consider frottage a transmission risk, even when the glans penis might contact each other.
So, to make a long thought short, can HIV be transmitted from the glans penis to, say, the tongue or to the mouth (assuming no precum or semen is present)?
So, to make a long thought short, can HIV be transmitted from the glans penis to, say, the tongue or to the mouth (assuming no precum or semen is present)?
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the HIV Prevention Community
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
