I had asked some questions about a few encounters on here a number of months ago. Your advice that it was little to no risk definitely helped with the anxiety but given a potential new woman in my life I did go in and get a full blood and urine testing today.. should have the results maybe tomorrow or end of the day Friday they said, so the stressful wait begins.  Given the no penetration and just frottage and oral giving a bit and then receiving from a couple women between those encounters, and already a previous urine test clean in between now and those encounters... am I right in assuming I should expect negative results? Just the wait can stress one out.

The new question I have and more the reason for the new purchase is around moving forward your advice around non penetration sexual activities and testing. Growing up, outside a small chance of some of the bacterial infections cured by antibiotics, oral sex both ways and frottage, fooling around was not a reason to run out and get tested everytime. Plus those infections show up in testing within days, so doable. But given the window that can be 2-3 months on the others requiring blood testing... as a heterosexual male in his late 30's.. would you recommend holding off on sex or a possible new partner for months everytime you say met someone and maybe fooled around and received a BJ as an example? More just trying to further educate myself on safer practices.  

There is certainly no need for testing following every encounter.  It is important to keep in mind that most people do not have STIs and that most single encounters do not result in transmission of infection, even if infection is present.  Further, with regard to the STIs which require blood tests for diagnosis, i.e. syphilis and HIV, these infections are even less common, and therefore less likely than the infections detected by urine testing.  Unless you are having many unprotected penetrative encounters with new partners, testing periodically, every 6-12 months is typically sufficient.  Of course, everyone is different in terms of the likelihood that there partners might have an STI and their own level of anxiety- some judgement is needed.

I hope this helps,.  EWH

Thanks for the information, that certainly helps with this fear over every exposure. My results did come back all negative, so ease of mind there. I did however do something else stupid and had a nuru massage 6 days ago and am having anxiety about herpes now. I've been checking my scrotum and lower penis shaft each day as that is the area that might have had some potential rubbing against her vagina area. Absolutely no penetration or oral either way, so only really worried about herpes. Everything was clear until just tonight where I have what I'd normally think is a heat/sweat irritation or chafing on each side of my groin. It's a bit irritated on both sides and is right in that crease area a little more towards the leg than scrotum. One side has a little more of a red spot where it looks like maybe top layer of skin has been chafed away. Not raised or a bump, and doesn't look like a bubbled sore or scab.. yet anyway. I'm freaking out a bit, does this sound like the start of herpes? Was this exposure a risk? If this spot were to be indeed hepres, would I expect to see it get worse, bubble into a sore and scab? I don't feel like the little crease area in my groin would have been the place exposed.. but freaking out a bit now. I'll look again in the morning to see if the area has gotten worse 

Your risk of herpes is virtually zero.  If you acquired herpes lesions they would appear within 10 days of exposure.  EWH

Your virtually zero definitely helps my worry. I hope just coincidence to have somwthing happen in that area 6 days after that exposure..I have booked in with my regular skin doctor but he's out of town right now so it will be 10 days before I see him, assume whatever it is will be cleared up by then anyway unfortunately. How long would a new outbreak take to clear? If it's still there after the long weekend here which will be 4 days since it came, I will try going into a walk in clinic maybe. Can I get some information while I wait if what is going on even sounds like herpes..  both sides of groin, right in the crease line between my leg and upper groin area, a non raised, non blister chafing looking line. Exact same look on both sides, red where you can see top layer of skin chafed off, feels like rug burn/chafing would. Have some polysporin on it right now.. thoughts? Guess the timing just has me worried. Thank you 

The location and nature of the rash you are experiencing sound nothing like HSV.  It sounds like a fungal rash ("jock itch").  An antifungal creme is worth a try.

End of thread.  EWH