Invisible dry blood and Hep C

[asu1077]

Hi,
I always take my shaving tools (razor) when I go to barbershop to shave my beard. However, I have noticed that barber, he used his hands to put the after shaving gel on my face even when I have visible small blood from shaving. He does the same thing for all other customers.

1- Can his hand pass Hep C or other viruses to me when he has some infected dry blood on his hands? (Though, I never seen any visible blood on his hands).

2- Should I bring my own electronic shaver for shaving my hair, too? (Though, I never had any scratch, injury from using the barber's electronic shaver, when I shave my hair)
  

[orphanedhawk]

See the below post. If you still have problems seek professional help or check out the OCD/ Anxiety forums.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Dried-blood/show/1851737

[hrsepwrguy]

How is HCV transmitted?

HCV is transmitted primarily through large or repeated percutaneous (i.e., passage through the skin) exposures to infectious blood, such as

Injection drug use (currently the most common means of HCV transmission in the United States)
    
Receipt of donated blood, blood products, and organs (once a common means of transmission but now rare in the United States since blood screening became available in 1992)
    
Needlestick injuries in health care settings
    
Birth to an HCV-infected mother

HCV can also be spread infrequently through

Sex with an HCV-infected person (an inefficient means of transmission)
    
Sharing personal items contaminated with infectious blood, such as razors or toothbrushes (also inefficient vectors of transmission)
    
Other health care procedures that involve invasive procedures, such as injections (usually recognized in the context of outbreaks)

How soon after exposure to HCV can anti-HCV be detected?

HCV infection can be detected by anti-HCV screening tests (enzyme immunoassay) 4–10 weeks after infection. Anti-HCV can be detected in >97% of persons by 6 months after exposure.

How soon after exposure to HCV can HCV RNA be detected by PCR?

HCV RNA appears in blood and can be detected as early as 2–3 weeks after infection.

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/HCVfaq.htm#c5

I don't think you are going to get anyone here to assess a risk about possible specs of blood you can't see, if your worried get tested.