Herpes Transmission

[SeattleLady]

My friend was over about a week and a half ago and blew a raspberry on my hip bone..he had a cold sore, drying up but still there, on his lip. What are the chances that I could contract genital herpes from a couple second contact on my hip area? I am worrying like crazy and imagining all kinds of strange sensations, although I don't have any lesions or sores, other than three pimples on my rear end (nothing abnormal, just the little white heads you get from time to time). I'm just worrying whether something like this could develop from such a brief encounter with a cold sore, but not in the actual genital area...Your thoughts?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The lesions would be expected to occur at the point of contact - in your case on the hip.  the reasons the lesions mostly occur on the genitalia is becasue the genitalia is where most contact occurs.  The would appear as a group os small fluid-filled vesicles ("water blisters") which would be somewhat uncomforatble.  EWH

[SeattleLady]

Just a question- where would the lesions be? Would they be on the place of contact (hip) or would they be in the genital area? For an initial outbreak- is it usually on the actual genitalia or in the surround areas? Just curious. Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The cold sore was healing, the encounter was brief and unlikely to result in transmission. Intact skin is very resistant to infection.  Furthermore, you are now a week and one half out from your exposure.  If you were going to get herpes, you would have seen lesions by know.  While this may not have been the wisest thing to do, you did not get herpes from the exposure you describe.  Take care.  EWH