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Masseuse Experience

Dr.

I had two experiences with the same masseuse which was 3 days apart. The first one involved protected vaginal sex. I used a condom and it did not slip or bust so I’m 100% sure this was not an issue. The second time I went I did not have a condom and either did she. She told me to wait and she came back with strips of plastic wrap which she wrapped around my penis. We had vaginal sex for about 3 to 4 minutes but I did not put too much faith in the plastic wrap so I pulled out. I’m pretty sure that the head of the penis was protected but the plastic wrap started to unwrap around the base of the penis. This event made me pretty nervous. Needless to say, I will not be visiting masseuses any more. I had two HIV tests utilizing the Home Access kit, one at 4 weeks and one at 6 weeks both of them were negative. I have read a lot of your posts but there weren’t too many that really fit this situation. I just have a few questions for you;
1. If the plastic wrap did not work what level of risk did I put myself at?
2. If the plastic wrap did not work how much faith can I put in the negative 4 week and 6 week tests?
3. Have there been many cases if any at all like this that turned positive after similar tests?
4. If I took another test at 8 weeks could I stop testing then and resume my life or can I put this experience behind me now and resume my life?

I appreciate your open and honest analysis of this situation.
4 Responses
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239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.  I'll try to help.  Bottom line:  there was little or no risk of HIV from these commercial sex exposures and your test results show you were not infected.  You really shouldn't be worried about it.

Use of plastic wrap as a condom substitute has a long and probably glorious history -- I imagine the first use for that purpose was within one day of the first time such a product was marketed, replacing waxed paper in the average American kitchen.  (Waxed paper doesn't appeal as a condom!)  Although there has been no research on effectiveness, probably plastic wrap is highly effective.  As you surmise, the main problem likely is penile coverage.  However, if the head of your penis indeed was covered, you were well protected against HIV, and against those STDs transmitted through genital secretions (e.g., gonorrhea, chlamydia), but less so against those transmitted by skin-skin contact (e.g., HPV, herpes).

Having said that, the other issues are whether or not your partner is infected and whether your negative test results are reliable.  The chance she had HIV is very low, probably under 1 in 1,000.  But most important, the modern HIV tests are highly reliable, including the method used by Home Access -- 90+% reliable at 4 weeks and virtually 100% by 6 weeks.  To your specific questions:

Those comments answer questions 1 and 2.  Question 3:  It is exceedingly rare that someone's HIV test becomes positive after 6 weeks.  I cannot say it has never happened, but people also get struck by lightning -- the odds probably are about the same.  Question 4:  Yes, another test at 8 weeks would be 100% reliable for sure.  Here is a thread that discusses test reliability at various intervals, and why testing by 6 weeks (and for sure 8 weeks) is sufficient, even though many agencies still recommed testing at 3 months:     http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/-A-Question-on-Testing/show/1347755

Bottom line:  There is no chance you caught HIV.

I hope this helps.  Best wishes--   HHH, MD
Helpful - 0
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I just realized this question duplicates one you asked only a month ago.  Even if it was for a different exposure, the answers are the same.  It is an abuse of MedHelp privledges to ask duplicate questions, so there will be no follow-up discussion or comments.  Also please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums -- no more until July at the earliest.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I really appreciate your help here. To be honest I can't believe for $20.00 you get the level of expertise that you bring to the table, thank you.
Helpful - 0
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for the kind comments, but the rules still are the rules.  Not all new questions can be accommodated, and duplicate or anxiety driven ones can block others with their own questions.  Take care.
Helpful - 0

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