Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Can HIV Be Trasnmitted Trough Shaving?
Question: can hiv be trasnmitted trough shaving nicks.
I have been to a salon and the barber while shaving me stopped in between and checked his palm. I first thought that he might have cut with my blade, but he told that its a previous cut and he is peeling off the remaining skin.
I saw its not bleeding, instead its in pink color skin with tiny black border around it and the cut skin is half peeled and the remaining half is left.
The Barber while shaving is wiping off the straight razor's shaved cream on his palm and again continuing to shave me.
after he applied after shaving lotion and i went to my house and observed that there is a tiny dot of blood on my cheek like a red pen dot on a paper, i didnt see or feel any cuts but the tiny dot of blood made me panic, what if the barber's cut is bleeding and he shaved me and i had a tiny dot of blood visible.
could HIV be transmitted this way?
I have been to a salon and the barber while shaving me stopped in between and checked his palm. I first thought that he might have cut with my blade, but he told that its a previous cut and he is peeling off the remaining skin.
I saw its not bleeding, instead its in pink color skin with tiny black border around it and the cut skin is half peeled and the remaining half is left.
The Barber while shaving is wiping off the straight razor's shaved cream on his palm and again continuing to shave me.
after he applied after shaving lotion and i went to my house and observed that there is a tiny dot of blood on my cheek like a red pen dot on a paper, i didnt see or feel any cuts but the tiny dot of blood made me panic, what if the barber's cut is bleeding and he shaved me and i had a tiny dot of blood visible.
could HIV be transmitted this way?
Brief Answer:
HIV virus is very fragile virus.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum.
I can understand your concern for possibility of HIV after shaving at barber's shop.
To relax you about the thing- Till now there had been no case of HIV observed after shaving at barber's shop.
A scientific reason given for this is - it requires minimum amount of virus called as Infective dose 50 (ID 50) for the spread of infection. It is not attained by shaving cuts.
Secondly - HIV virus is so fragile virus that it becomes dead as soon as comes in contact with air and get dried up.
So just relax and do not worry.
Wish you good health,
with regards,
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD- Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
HIV virus is very fragile virus.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum.
I can understand your concern for possibility of HIV after shaving at barber's shop.
To relax you about the thing- Till now there had been no case of HIV observed after shaving at barber's shop.
A scientific reason given for this is - it requires minimum amount of virus called as Infective dose 50 (ID 50) for the spread of infection. It is not attained by shaving cuts.
Secondly - HIV virus is so fragile virus that it becomes dead as soon as comes in contact with air and get dried up.
So just relax and do not worry.
Wish you good health,
with regards,
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD- Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Brief Answer:
you are free from HIV infection.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome again and thanks for follow up.
After thoroughly interpreting the query and analyzing with diligence let me first and foremost reassure you that your status is clean and you are free from HIV infection.
To tell you medically about HIV infection:
If any non-infected person has exposure of HIV viruses by any means if person acquires the infection then the HIV viruses starts multiplying in body.
These viruses are detectable after around 14 days by latest of the tests such as RNA PCR.
The immune system of the infected person starts secreting antibodies after the infection. The range of expression of these antibodies is 6- 12 weeks. It means these antibodies are detectable earliest by around 6 weeks and if a person is infected then definitely will show in tests by 12 weeks of period.
So you can get that 12 weeks is the set limit where HIV infection if present then will show in all antibody tests. If after 12 weeks the tests shows negative results then is cent percent negative.
All the rapid tests or home based tests are basically based on detection of HIV antibodies. SO in your case also the tests performed were based on detection of antibodies.
So based on the facts provided by you in my opinion you need not to go for any further testing and can relax about the matter of HIV.
I hope these informations will help you. I will be glad to answer any further of your queries.
Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
you are free from HIV infection.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome again and thanks for follow up.
After thoroughly interpreting the query and analyzing with diligence let me first and foremost reassure you that your status is clean and you are free from HIV infection.
To tell you medically about HIV infection:
If any non-infected person has exposure of HIV viruses by any means if person acquires the infection then the HIV viruses starts multiplying in body.
These viruses are detectable after around 14 days by latest of the tests such as RNA PCR.
The immune system of the infected person starts secreting antibodies after the infection. The range of expression of these antibodies is 6- 12 weeks. It means these antibodies are detectable earliest by around 6 weeks and if a person is infected then definitely will show in tests by 12 weeks of period.
So you can get that 12 weeks is the set limit where HIV infection if present then will show in all antibody tests. If after 12 weeks the tests shows negative results then is cent percent negative.
All the rapid tests or home based tests are basically based on detection of HIV antibodies. SO in your case also the tests performed were based on detection of antibodies.
So based on the facts provided by you in my opinion you need not to go for any further testing and can relax about the matter of HIV.
I hope these informations will help you. I will be glad to answer any further of your queries.
Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-Dermatology & Sexually transmitted diseases
Note: Get personalized answers to your HIV related queries You can choose to talk face to face with your doctor. Book a Video Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
