Wanted to ask a question about herpes whitlow.

From what I understand the only risk from giving handjobs is if you have a significant injury on your hand…and this would have come into direct contact with the lesion.  If I had a ripped hangnail with two days of healing have any concern ( even though it would be on the opposite side that would be touching the penis)?    Also if I was rubbing someone’s buttocks and they happen to have a lesion on it (although I’m sure I would have noticed). Would that have a risk to transfer to my hand?

Thanks in advance

Herpes whitlow does happen, yes, but it is not as common as people might think.  They situations that you describe may present some risk of acquiring herpes on the hand but I would say that risk is really low, and your hand would need to come in very direct contact, at the area of injury, with an outbreak.  Many people worry about whitlow, you are not alone, but whitlow really is not very common.

Terri

What is the time frame that it would typically show up.  

The time from infection to symptoms is 2-10 days normally, with the average being 5.5 days.

Terri