hairdressers and shaving.

[Ozzi]

Hi, I've asked a question here a couple of years ago and your help back then helped me to an unimaginable amount to deal with my "worried well" HIV scare. I have since lost a lot of my OCD, and I think I've learnt the lesson - to an extent.

About two weeks ago, while travelling, I decided to get a haircut. The only hairdresser available was one that looked like an old barber shop, cool, but rather downmarket. Since I did not need a fancy haircut, just shorter hair, I decided to give it a try. When I entered, another customer was still being served. After about three minutes, the hairdresser finished servicing the other client and asked me to sit down on the chair. Following a brief discussion about my preferences she began cutting my hair by shaving my hackle. Unfortunately, the skin on my neck was apparently rather sensitive that day, there were a couple of small pimples, and it may have been slightly sunburnt. It was not exactly painful, but I could feel how the depilation irritated my skin, and I started worrying about possible cuts, since the hairdresser was very likely using the same razor she had used just a couple of minutes before when she shaved the previous client. Obviously, she would not have used the razor had there been visible traces of blood present from previous shaves, but I was nontheless worried my irritated skin could start bleeding.

So when I arrived back in the hotel I decided to take a picture of my neck to see if the skin had been penetrated somewhere. I saw mostly irritated skin on the left side of the neck, but two little spots which looked like minor bleeding had occurred (like a root had been pulled out). I can provide the relevant part of the image, if you deem it necessary for a risk assessment.

So now I am wondering if/worried that this incident carries any risk that warrants testing. I hope you can help me out here again, as I don't know how to classify what happened. It's not close to "needle sharing" and if the previous client had a similarly irritatable skin and left minor blood traces on the razor, they would have been exposed to oxygen for a few minutes, but there is still a possibility of blood being involved. So I wanted to ask you, the experts.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Ozzi

[RapidRod]

At no time were you ever at risk. Take the time to read the lessons on transmission. The link can be found in the "Welcome" thread.

[anniebc]

As you have already been told there is no risk, you are worrying over nothing please read the Welcome Thread and follow the lesson on how HIV is and is not transmitted.

Jan

[Andy Velez]

This kind of question pops up regularly. In the entire history of the epidemic no one has ever been infected through a nip, a cut, a scratch or whatever with a razor, scissors, clippers or any other barbershop or hairdresser appliance.

It's safe to say you won't make history by becoming the first. No need for testing nor for further concern on your part.

[Ozzi]

Wow, can you hear my sigh of relief? Thanks a lot for your replies, they mean so much to me. I told myself "this is not how people get infected" (or there would be tougher restrictions for hairdressers...), but with the chance of (if tiny amounts) of blood being involved I still needed my guess to be reaffirmed by experts to put this worry to rest. Thanks again so much, Andy, Anniebc, RapidRod

[Andy Velez]

You're welcome. Glad you found the exchanges to be helpful.

Cheers,