Possible exposute?

[Sweden2023]

Hello Jim,
I hope you are doing well. I need your advise on this scenario that I am trying to figure out if I am being realistic or not. I went to a cupping services( professional sport massage and dry cupping- not the wet cupping). The massage therapist was pushing hard on my back, and I assume he made few bruises or scratches( not sure, but I had not seen any blood after I went home). Assuming the cups were not sterilised from the previous patients( at least 30 mins before me), and had possible blood from bruises or scratches or wounds, and then applied on me and near my bruises, would that constitute a risk?
Thank you very much

[Jim Allen]

Hiya,

Small cuts, scrapes and wounds, and in this case, bruises, are not a route for HIV to be acquired; besides that, there is a lack of volume and HIV is also fragile, and the receptors needed to infect corrode once exposed outside the human body. 

In brief. I read your post three times; it's not an HIV risk, relax and move on with your life.

Here's what you need to know to reduce your HIV risks:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse correctly and consistently, with no exceptions. Consider talking to your healthcare provider about PrEP as an additional layer of protection against HIV

Keep in mind that some sexual practices described as safe in terms of acquiring HIV still pose a risk for other easier-acquired STIs. So please do get tested at least yearly for STIs, including but not limited to HIV, and more frequently if condomless intercourse occurs.

Also, note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms; testing is the only way to know.

Kind regards

Jim

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[Sweden2023]

Hi again Jim!
Thanks to hear from you with this reply. So, even if he massaged the blood that was there for 30 minutes on my scratche, bruises  or open pimple?
Thanks alot
 

[Jim Allen]

You already asked this.

Anyhow, 3 seconds, 3 minutes, 30 minutes, 3 hours it makes no difference.

There was a lack of route for you to aquire HIV. Try to relax and move on with your life.

Best Jim

[Sweden2023]

Thanks a lot for this insight. I will try to do as you advise.
Last questions: why it lacks the routes? Are scratches not wounds? bruises? Just curious and also learning

[Jim Allen]

Okay, so a bit crude and in brief, bruises, the skin is intact and day-to-day scratches, cuts and wounds still have barriers for HIV to overcome, including the innate immune system and are not direct access in a manner required to the bloodstream or in any volume that would bypass these barriers. Not to mention that anything you are in contact with would already be corroded and unable to cause an HIV infection.

Hence nobody has ever acquired HIV from day-to-day "boo boo" and contact with objects or people. Sadly, the paranoia (in general) about HIV and day-to-day scratches was and still is a cause of stigma and sometimes discriminatory behaviour towards people living with HIV.

Now, to put things in perspective, if you are ever in a knife fight and the two of you have wounds that require urgent medical care, and you were bleeding half to death into each other wounds, come back to me as then it would indeed then be a theoretical risk; however, to be honest, I would still tell you to forget about HIV as a concern.