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Pubic/body hair in urethra

Hello Dr.

I used the urinal at a big brand store that sells everything. The urinal looked clean and really did not think anything about it. I came home about an hour later and went to use the bathroom and noticed there was pubic/body hair probably less than half inch in my urethra. Two thirds of the hair was inside my urethra which got me very paranoid about stds including hiv. Most likely the hair is from me because I am a hairy person and there was another similar piece of hair in my underwear.

I am paranoid that the hair was not mine and it some way came from the urinal and it might of been tainted with some std or hiv.

Would it be possible to get any std including hiv if the hair was not my hair and it was infected?

Am I being extremely paranoid and should see a counselor?


I have been very paranoid and anxious about stds including hiv using public bathrooms or touching door handles since this incident which community members were able to assure me that I had no risk. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/Scared-of-catching-HIV/show/2026338#post_9574513. With community members telling me there was no risk I have taken 3 oraquick tests which came out negative which gives me relief but my anxiety will come back if I see anything that resembles blood on a door handle or bathroom.
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Avatar universal
Thank you doctor.

Just want to say including yourself and other members of this forum are doing an amazing job.
Helpful - 0
300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, no risk at all. EWH
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for a quick response doctor. Just want to confirm your answer.

This hair being inside of my urethra does not put me at any risk for any std or hiv?
Helpful - 0
300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. In preparing to answer your question I reviewed your early interactions on the HIV Prevention Community site and agree with the advice provided there.  HIV in adults is transmitted ONLY through penetrative sexual intercourse or injection of infected material deep into tissue.  It is not transmitted though touching or contact with contaminated surfaces.  There are no instances in which a person has ever gotten HIV from splash back from a toilet, sitting in a contaminated toilet seat or other environmental contamination.

Like you, I am confident that the hair that your mentioned was not form the public urinal and even in the virtually impossible scenario that it was, it would not place you at ANY risk for HIV.  There is no reason for concern and no reason for testing related to the event you describe.

HIV is a rare disease and short of the means of transmission I mentioned above, it is very difficult to transmit and is not transmitted casually.  If you find yourself continually worrying about such possibilities, then my recommendation would be to discuss these fears with a counselor who can help you to work through them.  It cannot be fun spending so much of your time in fear.  EWH
Helpful - 0

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