hand jobs

[kalipsok]

hello, i am in my twenties and not really sexually active. I am worried because i thought i was having safe encounters until i really put much thought into it. All my life when I went out with a guy if it was for a short while or a one time thing,i was always afraid of sexually transmitted diseases so i restrained from having actual intercourse or giving and receiving oral sex. However, I always was pleased by a guy by him fingering me and return the pleasure by giving hand jobs. I realized that when giving hand jobs with no gloves on bare skin, I could have from time to time have had small cuts on my hands. Nothing that was oozing blood or anything that i remember but having small sort of paper cuts. I am also in the beauty industry and and am a hairdresser. So my hands are really dry and scaly if I dont put lotion from the chemicals I use and constantly washing them. Also dealing with scissors and hair clips and pins I always seem to ***** my fingers from the sharp objects I am always exposed to. I know when I use lotion it stings from the condition of my hands. I want to know if I am at risk for Hiv or any other STD because I am freaking out. The thought that i gave hand jobs all the time thinking that it was safe is making me go crazy. I had so much semen over the years all over my hands. Also I allowed guys to *** on my breasts is that also risky??? Please help me I am freakin out!!!!!!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Jacobsquestion answered correctly before I did (below).  There is zero risk of HIV or any other STD from the activities you describe, regardless of cuts or nicks on your hands or elsewhere.  To catch HIV, you need to be exposed to a large dose of virus, much more than is possible by the sorts of cuts you describe.  Anyway, the likelihood is almost zero that the average straight, non-drug-using guy you might choose as a partner will have HIV.

When you decide to have vaginal sex, use condoms unless you believe you are entering a committed relationship with someone you know is uninfected.  Otherwise, you simply are not at risk.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[ashmatt]

A related discussion, got my hair cut, the hair dresser cut himself with the sciors was started.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I should clarify my statement that "the likelihood is almost zero that the average straight, non-drug-using guy you might choose as a partner will have HIV".  Of course that depends on things I don't know.  The statement is true for most people and places in the US, but not all.  And it certainly is not true in many developing countries.

HHH, MD

[kalipsok]

thank you all for your advice.. Dr. if you dont mind me asking what kind of Dr. are you? And how much knowledge do you have in regards to HIV? Also, I just did a search and it said that small cuts on hands is a risk: http://www.lgbt.ucla.edu/Womens_health.htm

I dont know what to think now with the information from thhis site given and the information on that site listed above!!

Please responf to this!

[jacobsquestion]

Read the doctors comments at the top of the forum - handjobs, oral sex (whether on a man/woman/transgender - or getting oral from them) is such a very, very low, non-measurable risk - that is would be rather rare to aquire HIV from these exposures. I looked into risks - a person has a 1 -3,000 chance of getting hit by lighting in their life - your risk would be more on the chance of a giant falling star falling from the sky into your home with Elvis Presley then knocking on your door asking to borrow some sugar.  Seriously, if you have vaginal sex - use a condom.  everything else is such a low risk.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Google me.  Or search the scientific literature via the National Library of Medicine:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi, and enter handsfield hh [au] (for author) in the search window. (Format has to be exact, for example brackets not paretheses around 'au'.)

Some sites list theoretical risks.  Most public health professionals, like me, go by more rigorous standards.  To my knowledge, in the quarter century history of AIDS, nobody has ever reported (or even hinted) at anybody acquiring HIV by hand-to-genital contact, with or without cuts.

Cheers--  H3

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

And what did you think to be the meaning of this prominent statement that comes up when you select the link "Post a Question"?

"If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives and the FAQs for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies.  Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE.  YOUR DONATION WILL NOT BE REFUNDED.  The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids."

This is not a personal counseling site.

HHH, MD

[kalipsok]

i meant to address the comment/ reply i posted to you Dr.!

thanks