Met With Escort, Worried Of HIV/STD

[mbsc1981]

Good morning. Thanks for all you do, I appreciate what I've seen here.

Okay. So, last night, in a lapse of judgement, I had sex with an escort. It was protected. I wore a condom while she performed oral and vaginal sex on me. The condom didn't break, though it slipped about an inch down the shaft when I had finished. The tip and most of the penis remained covered.

She says she is tested monthly, and was tested at the end of February. She says she's clean. She looked clean and healthy. There was no blood involved, though I'm a little worried because I cleaned myself up afterward, and I've read that this can actually make things worse.

I'm a 31 year old male. Clean. Circumcised. No cuts or lesions in my pelvic area. No kissing occurred.

Should I be worried? Should I be tested? The guilt is bad enough, I can handle that. I'm single, so I didn't cheat, but I still feel like a dirtbag. It's the physical effects that worry me the most. Probably should have thought about that before hand. Oh well. Hindsight, and all.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  Thanks for your question.

This sounds like an entirely safe exposure that does not warrant testing for any STD.  Not only do you describe careful attention to safe sex, including a condom for both vaginal and oral sex (oral sex is generally safe even without condoms), but you describe a partner who is unlikely to have any active STD.  Many female escorts -- by which I mean expensive sex workers by appointment -- are pretty careful about STDs and condom use (as yours seems to be); are tested frequently for STDs; and generally are truthful about not being infected ("says she's clean").  I would consider this to be a lower risk exposure than with many non-sex working partners who you might meet through friends, at work, or certainly compared to a bar pick-up.

So don't confuse your anxieties over a sexual choice you regret with STD/HIV risk. They aren't the same, and the latter really isn't a significant consideration.

I hope this has helped.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[mbsc1981]

Thank you so much for the response. I really appreciate it.

Also, thanks for what you and Dr. Hook do. I appreciate that such good people are willing to use their knowledge and talents to help people in frustrating situations. I have seen many of the responses and I feel much better.

Thanks again.