Vaginal fluid on finger, scratched open wound

[soont131]

Hello, thank you for this website.  The embarrassing situation currently causing me some concern is as follows: The other night I had a lapdance from a stripper.  We french kissed a few times and I sucked on her nipples.  Additionally, I touched her vagina through her panties (no direct contact) after she said she was very wet.  

Over one hour later, after I had returned home, I rinsed my hands but don't remember if I scrubbed with soap.  Immediately thereafter, I scratched and popped a pimple that was on my chest, causing blood and pus to secrete out.

My main question now is (1) if the stripper was HIV+, would it be possible for me to have infected myself by touching her wet panties and then, an hour later, using my same, not-properly washed hands, to scratch open and pop a pimple?  Would this have allowed the virus to enter into my bloodstream?  Is there any reason to worry here?

Question (2): could you confirm that barring any open sores in her mouth/on her breasts or nipples, and any open sores in my mouth, it would not be possible for me to have been infected through the french kissing and sucking of the nipples?

Thank you very much.

[soont131]

Thank you, Doctor.  If you please, I have one last question: would your conclusions be any different if my fingers made direct contact with the vagina or anus (non-insertive), rather than only with the panties, and then later scratched open the pimple?  As I recall the events, I may have made direct contact.

Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Obsessions usually are not resolved with "more detail" on scientific explanations; there's always a "yes but", "what if", or "will I be the exception" sorts of thoughts.  I'll just say that HIV transmission requires exposure to large amounts of virus, which probably can't occur from the exposures you have mentioned.

I'm going to end this thread by restating that nobody has ever been known to catch HIV from events like these -- the biological reasons shouldn't matter.

[soont131]

Thank you for your response, Doctor, this reassuring.  If I may, I'd like to follow up, just to be clear: (1) Even if, using the same fingers that came into contact with vaginal fluid that may contain the virus, I later scratch and pick open a zit, thus causing a bleeding, open wound, the virus would not have been able to enter my bloodstream through that break in the skin?

Or is it (2) more that the virus, if any, on my fingers would have dried out and ceased to be infectious by the time my fingers caused the open wound?  Or (3) simply that the level of exposure to vaginal fluids I encountered was insufficient to transfer the virus, if it existed, to my fingers and then to the open wound?

Thank you very much, I recognize from previous posts that obsessive, repetitive questions are to be avoided, but some more detail here would help me.  Thank you again.  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.

HIV is not transmitted by fingering; there has never been a known case.  Kissing never transmits the virus, and neither does oral contact with breasts, nipples, etc -- even with cuts or sores in the mouth.  And it is statistically unlikely the stripper had HIV.  I can't say there's no chance, but even if she did, the exposures you describe did not put you at risk at all -- either from the fingering or kissing, or from manipulating pimples later.

I think those comments answer both your questions.  You do not need testing for HIV (or any other STD), should not be at all worried, and if you have a regular partner, you can safely continue unprotected sex without putting that person at risk.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD