Masturbation risk with a small sore of unknown type

[GDrom]

Docter,

I recently masturbated a woman. I know masturbation is safe sex but repeatedly put my fingers into my mouth to gather saliva, which I used as lubrication to masturbate my partners vagina and I had a small sore (it was so small that it was difficult, but not impossible to see with my naked eye in the mirror, it was a small whitish patch) on my lower lip. I don't know if it was a canker-sore, a cold-sore a tiny tiny cut or what. It was a bit tender when I would bite down on it. So I have two concerns:

First, if it was a cold-sore have I put my partner at risk of herpes?

Second, am I at risk of any std because of the sore on my lip? My main fear is HIV but also Syphillis? Hepatitis?

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Correct. Sorry for the typo. EWH

[GDrom]

Dr Hook,

Sorry for such a late response, I've been out of town on business for the past two weeks. Your response to my question (# 3) isn't clear to me. Your assessment was that despite the fact that I had an emerging coldsore, the situation I described above was no risk and I do not need testing for any std?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

1.  There is a 60% chance that your partner already has HSV-1, even if she does not know it.  60% of the population has HSV-1 and of those 90% do not know it.  If she already ahs HSV-1, she will not get infected by you, not matter what sort of contact.

2.  No, no affect on my assessment

3.  No, you effect on my assessment of you risk either.  The quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex with an infected partner is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex.  Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex.  This includes by all of the people who had sore on their mouths or lips, gum disease, etc.
EWH

[GDrom]

Hello doctor,

I just wanted to let you know that in the past 24 hours the sore on my lip has turned into a coldsore or some kind of blister. Right now it is just a bump but I suspect it will grow and "burst" or whatever cold sores do.

Thank you for your discussion about the difference between "theoretically possible" and what is reasonable to worry about. I am not interested in ruiling out any kind of theoretical possibility, I just want to know that I have, for all reasonable purposes, practiced safe sex and should not be unduly worried as a result.

Three questions:

1. If my partner already gets cold sores from HSV-1, does this mean that the chance of my transferring hsv-1 via oral sex is diminished//impossible?

2. Does this affect your assement of the risk of transferring hsv to my partner? Again, the only contact my sore would have had with her genitals would have been indirectly via my fingers (since i put my fingers in my mouth and probably brushed over my sore)

3. Does this affect your asessment of my risk of contracting any std (hiv etc) by getting vaginal secretions on, what was at the time small but was in fact a cold sore waiting to happen? [part of the reason I am worried is that I have not asked this woman about her sexual history (which is something I do religiously before any sexual activity [we hooked up at a party])

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to the Forum.  I answering your question we need to distinguish between what is theoretically possible and what has been observed in millions and millions of persons.  Just as there is a theoretical risk that you could be hit by lightening while reading this, there is a theoretical risk that you might have transferred HSV, IF that was causing the sore on your lip (doubtful it this was the first time ever noticed), to your partner and she might have gotten infected.  The chance of this happening are about the same, or lower than your getting hit by lightening as mentioned above.

Regarding the possible introduction of your partners' vaginal secretions and therefore infection into your mouth as you wet your fingers, no risk.  These infections are not spread by indirect transfer of secretions in the manner you describe.

I know from your prior posts that you are rather nervous about STDs, the activities you describe however are not activities that there is ANY realistic reason for worry.  You do not need to be concerned and do not need testing of any sort.  I hope my comments are reassuring to you.   EWH