barber shaving

Sorry for my bad English hope u understand my questions.
Before four weeks, I went to an asian barber and I asked him to shave ALL my body by the electronic clipper   , when he shaved my anus I felt pain and after I checked I found a tiny tiny drop of blood on the tissue caused by the electronic clipper (which I am sure it has not been used for at least 30 minutes By other customer). I read many questions with regards to electronic clipper and almost all comments said there are no or low risk from it , my questions are:
1- What is the different between the electronic clipper cut and sharing unsterilized syringes?
2- If I didn’t get any symptoms is this mean I am safe?
3- Am I at risk from HIV or other STD ?
4- Is 4 weeks enough to test for STD?

Thank u in advance and best reagrds
  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  As you know, many people have asked similar questions.  Rather than repeat them in detail, my answers will be brief.  To summarize however, you are not at risk for HIV from this exposures.

As for your questions:
1.  Syringes puncture your skin and can have residual blood trapped in the hollow needles.  the clippers do not have hollow spaces making the theoretical survival of HIV even shorter.  In addition the blood you saw was yours not someone else’s.
2.  Symptoms are an unreliable indicator of infection.  you are safe because the exposure you describe has no risk, not because of the absence of symptoms.
3.  No!!!
4.  You can test for most STDs just a few days after exposure.  A few, like syphilis blood tests take a bit  longer.  At 4 weeks all tests will be reliable.

I hope my answers are helpful to you.  You have nothing to worry about from the events you describe and do not need testing related to it.  EWH