Aa
Back again...and again, I think I already know the answer!
Hi, again - I have ANOTHER question, but I wasn't certain if I needed to start a new thread or not, so I just did. Once again, I think I already know the answer, but I would just like confirmation from Teak or Lizzie or nursegirl.
I have a cut on my hand, about 1/4 of an inch in length. I got it yesterday morning. I'm not certain if it bled or not at the time that it happened. Anyway, it's not quite at the full scabbing stage today, but sort of covered with some sort of something. So no, it's not open, gaping, freely bleeding, etc. I noticed some blood on a piece of paper I had made copies of. I don't know where it originated - it certainly didn't come from me. I'm thinking someone may have gotten it on the copy machine. My question is: if there was a pool of fresh blood on the copy machine (or maybe not a "pool" per se, but enough to transfer from one surface to another) or maybe even another surface this paper touched, and say I touched this pool with this cut on my hand, is there any possible risk of transmission? Looking at my hands right now, I notice that I actually have several nicks, papercuts, scratches, hangnails, etc. Would any of these be possible routes for the virus to latch onto? AND...say I got it on my hand and then somehow got into my mouth or eye nose from rubbing my face - would transmission be possible then? And I'm talking a completely fresh amount of blood; some that had JUST exited someone else's body within say, 3 seconds...
Sorry to be a nuisance. Thank you.
I have a cut on my hand, about 1/4 of an inch in length. I got it yesterday morning. I'm not certain if it bled or not at the time that it happened. Anyway, it's not quite at the full scabbing stage today, but sort of covered with some sort of something. So no, it's not open, gaping, freely bleeding, etc. I noticed some blood on a piece of paper I had made copies of. I don't know where it originated - it certainly didn't come from me. I'm thinking someone may have gotten it on the copy machine. My question is: if there was a pool of fresh blood on the copy machine (or maybe not a "pool" per se, but enough to transfer from one surface to another) or maybe even another surface this paper touched, and say I touched this pool with this cut on my hand, is there any possible risk of transmission? Looking at my hands right now, I notice that I actually have several nicks, papercuts, scratches, hangnails, etc. Would any of these be possible routes for the virus to latch onto? AND...say I got it on my hand and then somehow got into my mouth or eye nose from rubbing my face - would transmission be possible then? And I'm talking a completely fresh amount of blood; some that had JUST exited someone else's body within say, 3 seconds...
Sorry to be a nuisance. Thank you.
Cuts are never a way to get HIV, fresh or not.
HIV cannot infect outside the human body so it cannot move or spread into a wound. Even if it were directly placed there in some fashion, it wouldn't be active (and can't be reactivated); thus, it would be unable to infect. Keep reading that every time you worry about it.
Good luck with treatment for OCD.
HIV cannot infect outside the human body so it cannot move or spread into a wound. Even if it were directly placed there in some fashion, it wouldn't be active (and can't be reactivated); thus, it would be unable to infect. Keep reading that every time you worry about it.
Good luck with treatment for OCD.
You need to continue to work with your therapist. You already KNOW what our answers will be. You have asked a variation of the same types of questions over and over. Your fears are irrational, and being that you're in therapy, you KNOW they are.
I'll explain this to you ONCE again, although there is a search function on this site that allows you to read literally dozens of similar threads/posts.
The integumentary system (ie skin) is comprised of MANY layers. If you have a cut, abrasion, brush burn, lacerations, paper cuts, hangnails, razor burn, sunburn, bug bite. etc etc etc etc...it involves one, maybe TWO layers of skin...certainly never enough to allow a virus to get to your bloodstream, which is where it has to get to cause infection. Also, any break in the skin begins the healing process IMMEDIATELY...LITERALLY INSTANTANEOUSLY....from the INSIDE OUT. See the protection? See why the "broken skin" scenario is not a concern? Couple that with the fact that the HIV virus is VERY weak and simply NOT capable of infecting people when it is OUTSIDE of the body, period. There needs to be exposure (either thru unprotected sex, or a scenario where a person is injecting infected blood DIRECTLY into their bloodstream), there needs to be a sufficient amount of infectious fluids, and the perfect environment (temp, pH, etc etc). HIV cannot and will not infect a person from an environmental surface, a toilet seat, shower floor, COPY machine...or even infectious fluids present on another person's body, like would be the case in masturbation.
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. Plain and simple, you have WAY overinflated views about HIV, to the point where you are obsessive. The ONLY way you are going to get better is to continue your therapy. Our answers are not going to change, no matter how much the small details of each of your queries change.
I'll explain this to you ONCE again, although there is a search function on this site that allows you to read literally dozens of similar threads/posts.
The integumentary system (ie skin) is comprised of MANY layers. If you have a cut, abrasion, brush burn, lacerations, paper cuts, hangnails, razor burn, sunburn, bug bite. etc etc etc etc...it involves one, maybe TWO layers of skin...certainly never enough to allow a virus to get to your bloodstream, which is where it has to get to cause infection. Also, any break in the skin begins the healing process IMMEDIATELY...LITERALLY INSTANTANEOUSLY....from the INSIDE OUT. See the protection? See why the "broken skin" scenario is not a concern? Couple that with the fact that the HIV virus is VERY weak and simply NOT capable of infecting people when it is OUTSIDE of the body, period. There needs to be exposure (either thru unprotected sex, or a scenario where a person is injecting infected blood DIRECTLY into their bloodstream), there needs to be a sufficient amount of infectious fluids, and the perfect environment (temp, pH, etc etc). HIV cannot and will not infect a person from an environmental surface, a toilet seat, shower floor, COPY machine...or even infectious fluids present on another person's body, like would be the case in masturbation.
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. Plain and simple, you have WAY overinflated views about HIV, to the point where you are obsessive. The ONLY way you are going to get better is to continue your therapy. Our answers are not going to change, no matter how much the small details of each of your queries change.
I just need to know if it matters how deep and new (fresh) the papercut was and how fresh the blood was. I guess I would just think that the deeper the cut, the more likely a route of transmission. Please don't ban me. I'm so scared, and yes, I'm trying to work through all of that with a therapist, but I'm desperate for some hope to hold onto right now.
Go back to the OCD forum.
Sorry...do you think you could possibly answer my last post? I am freaking out and even though I know I probably shouldn't be, hearing from an expert such as yourself would be comforting. Thank you.
I hate myself for asking this - so...even if I had a fresh papercut, within just a couple of minutes of touching this paper, and then this blood got into/onto it, that still wouldn't be a risk? I seem to recall this papercut bleeding slightly when I first got it, and then maybe a few minutes later coming into contact with this blood on the paper (which was still fresh, fresh, fresh - seconds old!) I know everyone on here has said in the past that papercuts do not transmit, but what about DEEP papercuts?
My apologies...it's back to the OCD forum I go...:o)
GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRR ! ! ! ! !
YOU'RE RIGHT...YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER :)
YOU'RE RIGHT...YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER :)
You are reading content posted in the HIV Prevention Community
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
