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Avatar universal

Can I give myself genital herpes if

Hey,
I have had oral cold sores for about 13 years now, I am fifteen years old, and earlier today I was watching a movie when I touched my lip (not my cold sore) on which was the cold sore. However I touched the side of my lip where the cold sore did not reside...I was then making my way to the kitchen sink to wash my hands with anitbacterial soap when I scratched the pubic hair and skin that was on my upper left thigh. I then proceeded to wash my hands for twenty seconds with soap and then within the next 10 to 15 minutes I washed my pubic hair and area three times with soap. So is there any chance I could have gotten genital herpes from that?
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Avatar universal
If I may... would you allow me to ask you another question... this is not a requirement or anything I as just wondering that is all... thank you for your time grace... I appreaciate it
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
you know what... actually just forget what I just said ... I have realized that it is basically impossible to transfer my oral herpes to my genitals without having some kind of sexual encounter which, being fifteen, I have not had.... thank you for all your help
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Avatar universal
ok... I am sorry... just a little worried... I have heard that it is almost impossible to transmit oral herpes to the genital area as well... is this true?
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101028 tn?1419603004
Have you ever talked to a professional about your anxiety?  

Please do not continue asking these questions like this. we've assured you several times now that nothing you are doing is a risk for you transmitting your hsv1 oral infection to your genital area.

grace
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Avatar universal
ok, I know this is going to make me seem crazy but I just need to get this off of my chest and settled.... so I was watching TV in my boxers on my parent's bed and I had recently changed boxers because I had scratched my genitals through them and even though my hands or fingers had come no where near my lip I changed it anyways and then, in my new boxers I walked to the restroom and urinated and as I was puling my boxers back up my penis (tip) touched the outside of my boxers which had come in contact with the bed spread which had come in contact with my previous boxers none of which I had touched with hands that had touched my cold sore/lip. So I just want to make sure there is no way for me to get genital herpes from this either.

My next worry is that when I was in the shower I washing off and part of my elbow came in contact with my pubic hair on my upper right thigh... and earlier I had been using my elbows in order to scratch my upper lip, where the cold sore was, however this was after I had been in the shower for a good three to five minutes and it had been like 10-15 minutes since I had used my elbow to scratch my lip and the part of my elbow that touched my pubic hair on the upper right thigh did not touch my lip (I think because it was on the bottom side of the elbow rather the top which touched my lip).

So I was wondering if there was any chance that I could have gotten genital herpes from either of these things?

I am really really truly sorry for putting you through this but I just want to calm my mind....please forgive me
Helpful - 0
897535 tn?1295206435
I have a 15-year-old son. He's hanging out with his friends, like just about every other teen-aged boy. Log off the computer, go have fun with your friends/family and move on from this worry.
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101028 tn?1419603004
You are more than fine since you know that cold sores are herpes and know that they are contagious - more than most adults even know :)

Pretty much you don't have to worry about transmitting your cold sore anywhere else on your body.  Just use common sense like washing your hands after you've touched your cold sore/applied medication to it.  

do you take anything for your cold sores when you start to feel one coming on to speed healing?

grace
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Avatar universal
so I am fine?
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Avatar universal
I am just a paranoid person.... I am sorry :)
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101028 tn?1419603004
this also is absolutely not a risk.

You are only 15 years old - why the paranoia about this?

grace
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Avatar universal
ok thank you very much... I also have one more question... today I was still freaking out about this whole thing and I had just gotten out of the shower and I was taking care not to let the part of the towel that touched my cold sore touch my pubic area and when I got my room some of the towel brushed my genitals and so, being me, I freaked out and went to my bathroom and took soap in my hand (I had not washed since touching the towel) and waited like five seconds and then rubbed it on my genitals in order to make sure I was ok... so now I am worried that I got genital herpes from that.... Is any chance of me getting genital herpes through that.

(I also did not touch the told sore with my hand since getting out of the shower only the towel, on which part of it touched my cold sore.  Also my cold was in the last stage of healing in which the scab was hanging by a thread and when I touched the cold sore with my towel it came off.)

Thank you so much for your help
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101028 tn?1419603004
nope, my answer would've been the exact same. It's just not that easy to do what you are afraid of doing :)

grace
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Avatar universal
would it also have mattered if I had actually touched the cold sore?
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Avatar universal
Dear  gracefromHHP,

Thank you so much for your help on this matter I am also glad that you know what you are talking about since I am always worried that I am going to get someone who doesn't know what they are talking about on these websites... I greatly apperaciate how you have helped  me quell my anxiety. I wish you the best of luck :D
Helpful - 0
101028 tn?1419603004
this is not an issue at all. you have significant protection against transmitting your own hsv1 infection to other body parts. In general it's not near that easy to transmit herpes either - if it was, 99% of us would have it everywhere :)

grace
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
I want to ask, I was changing in a locker room at my gym. A friend of mine hit me in the face with a moist towel he found on the floor. He hit me with the corner of the towel. None of my friends in the locker knew who had used the towel, and they had been there for about 5-6 minutes. Im a germaphobe, and I am worried, could I get herpes from this? The towel was cold, but moist. I washed it off my face but the run off water touched my lips. As this is a mucous membrane, would I get oral herpes? Im so scared. Please help me.
You have no risk of contracting hsv from this towel. None
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