Peel on lip

[James99]

Dear Doctor,

30-60 minutes before having oral sex with another man, I peeled off a dry slab of skin from my lip. I remember checking it for bleeding a few minutes after the initial peel and found no blood, but the next day i found a scab in it's place. Was this encounter still low risk?

Basically my question in sum is can peeling off a dead section of lip and causing a cut a short while before oral sex cause the risk from going from low risk to high risk?

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If  a scab appeared where the previous one was, then it is possible or even likely that you had re-opened to sore on your lip.  That does not change my assessment of advice.  EWH

[James99]

I just might need to clarify. The scab appeared in the spot where i peeled the skin off the next day. Does that mean it might have been bleeding and I didn't realize it? Is peeling skin off the same risk as peeling a scab off prior to oral sex?

Okay that's my last series of questions.

Thanks.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

That a scab was taken or came off prior to performance of oral sex does not meaningfully increase your risk for HIV.  Oral sex remains exceedingly low risk and perhaps no risk at all.  No need for concern or testing from the exposure you refer to.  Take care.  EWH

[James99]

What I meant by scab in its place was maybe there might have been some bleeding at some point and I didn't know.