[Question #11028] HIV Risk from wet cold towel on shaving cuts/nicks
17 months ago
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Yesterday, I was at the barbershop, and while shaving with the razor blades, I got a shaving small cuts on the skin under my mouth, and it began to bleed (basically it is more like shaving nicks that occur when removing reversed grown hairs that lead to blood spots but take some time to stop or become dry, but let's consider it cut to be on the safe side). I remember the razor was sanitized, the blade was changed, and the barber was wearing gloves, so there should be no risk of contracting HIV, correct?
However, what concerns me is that he used a wet cold towel (it seemed to have been in a freezer and they used it to refresh the face after shaving) to wipe my face, including where I had those cuts/nicks (I remember the towel being clean and no blood on it). So, my question is as follows:
If this towel had been used by a previous customer who had a similar issue and there was blood on the towel, and it was only washed with water only before being stored in the freezer (assuming it was there because it was cold) and then used on me while I had these bleeding small cuts/nicks. Could I contract HIV this way? Do I need to get tested? Can HIV survive on wet towels?
17 months ago
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Sorry I forgot to ask, is there a risk for hepatitis diseases also?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
17 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum. Thanks for your questions. We regularly get questions regarding nicks and cuts that occur in barber shops. The risk of transmission of blood born infections in this setting is theoretical. We have never seen or heard of transmission of HIV, hepatitis, or other blood borne infections from nicks and cuts occurring in barber shops. It sounds to me like your barber takes better than average precautions to make sure that infections are not transmitted.
As for the wet, cold towel used to refresh you after your shave, there is no risk of infection even in the unlikely event that the towel was used on someone else before you. HIV becomes non-infectious on exposure to the air and environment and, if anything, the cold of the refrigerator would make viruses less infectious.
I would have no worries regarding the events you describe and see no reason for testing related to them. EWH
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17 months ago
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Thank you Dr.
Just to confirm my understanding, so even if the towel was not washed or cleaned and it was used by infected person with hiv or hepatitis and his blood came on it before it goes to the fridge and then used on my face as refresher and to clean the nicks/cuts, there no risk and there is no need to test for hiv or hepatitis because :
1) its not a blood on blood directly.
2) Hiv become non-infectious when exposed to air (same applies to hepatitis?)
3) and viruses become less infectious in fridge.
4) for sure there was a washing at least with water to become wet, is this enough to kills any virus wether hiv or hepatitis?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
17 months ago
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Your summary is correct. Each of your restatements is essentially correct. EWH---
17 months ago
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Thank you Dr. Your efforts are highly appreciated.
Last follow up Q before we close the thread: I have asked in my previous questions for general knowledge and future safety if hepatitis virus dies when exposed to air/environment like the HIV and if wet towels or cleaning by water to any object is enough to kill the hepatitis virus.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
17 months ago
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Hepatitis has not been evaluated as thoroughly as HIV but there are no data to suggest that it would be transmitted on a wet cold towel. Hepatitis transmission requires direct contact with infectious material ( blood or secretions) and is not transmitted by inanimate objects. Presumably both exposure to the environment and and certainly cleaning with water reduces infectivity.
I hope this helps. Take care. EWH
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