Concern Over Encounter With Amsterdam CSW

[oldjoy]

Hello.  I've lurked around before and found this site extremely helpful and informative.  I've learned so much from this forum about HIV transmission.

However, I do have bit of anxiety regarding a sexual encounter I had in November with a commercial sex worker in the Amsterdam red light district with a window girl.  She provided a condom and we had protected oral and vaginal intercourse.  I know that my head was properly protected as well as my shaft.  But, I did have a pimple on my scrotum close to the shaft of my penis.  It was in the zone where the junction of scrotum and shaft meet, therefore uncovered by the latex (and very close if not bumping her labia during intercourse).  I did pop the pimple a few hours before in the hotel.  It seemed to be healed up when she put the condom on me, and she didn't even mention anything about it.  I was concerned a bit after the sex.  She must have been menstruating because she did remove a small pad from her vagina after she took off her panties.  There was not visible blood of any sort on my skin or on the used condom after sex.  Could infected lube/vaginal fluid/menstrual blood have come in contact with possibly compromised and healing skin?  Just enough to transmit HIV?

From the lessons I've read here, I realize HIV is primarily transmitted INSIDE the body.  And with males (insertive) the urethra is the main route of transmission because of the receptor cells in that part of the penis.  I know it would have to be extremely unlikely for a pimple on my genitalia to be a transmission route, but wouldn't it be similar to an open sore from a STI?

I always use a condom for intercourse and I'm not overly concerned about STIs, especially HIV.  Perhaps its because she was a sex worker and the perception that prostitutes have STIs more than the general population.  Not to mention the proximity of the possibly broken pimple to the vagina.  She's not likely HIV+ anyway.  I just got the fear.  Am I being a bit obsessive-compulsive?

I have not been tested since the incident for any STIs and I've had no signs or symptoms of anything down there.  Just some anxiety.  Should I be concerned over this single incident?

[Andy Velez]

Your mind is working overtime to no good purpose here. You actually have the basics down very well but you're just running with some unnecessary HIV jitters. The pimple on your whatever, burst or not, did not put you at risk for HIV transmission.

HIV is a fragile virus that requires a very hospitable environment like inside a vagina or an anus to cross over. You were not at risk in this incident as you've described it, not even if she was menstruating. Which you are only guessing at because you saw a pad and your mind has gone busy on that too.

It's good to know you are using condoms. Way to go!

We do in general advise anyone who's sexually active to regularly have a full STD panel done. That means at least once a year.

As far as HIV is concerned you're good to go at this point. Let go of the worrying and get on with your life.

Cheers,

[oldjoy]

Andy,

Thanks for the reassurance.  Anxiety sure is something else when one dwells on possible scenarios.  I'll just get tested soon to be absolutely certain and it's just for the greater good to get a checkup.

This forum & website is a great resource.  What you and the other moderators  are doing is a great service to the web as well as the global community and I appreciate the civilized and informed discourse that all of you provide.

[Andy Velez]

Glad you have found the site and our exchange to be helpful to you.

Given what you have reported thus far I certainly expect you will test negative.