[Question #13148] Oral Sex Risk

2 months ago

Hi doctors. Last night I received condom protected oral sex from a very low end sex worker. My concerns are related to HSV2 and Syphilis.

I looked at her lips before she provided me oral sex. I did see anything weird. I think the condom went as low as possible and if she made contact my body, outside the condom with was maybe 5-10 seconds in total during separate times of her head movements. she was mostly providing.moving her lips along the condom. I am already hsv1 positive. what are my chances of getting syphilis or hsv2 herpes from this event? Would it be safe to continue with my regular partner?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

2 months ago

Welcome back. I'm happy to help, although it seems to me the answers are pretty clear from our discussion a few months ago. Reading between the lines, the username you selected for the forum may say a lot about your concerns!

As discussed last time, no STI can be transmitted through intact latex or polyurethane, and I have a hard time understanding how with a condom in place there could be oral contact with your penile or other skin. But even if so, the risk would be zero for all practical purposes. As for HSV2, it rarely infects the oral area and is extremely rarely transmitted by oral sex, if ever. The only oral to genital herpes risk is for HSV1, and people are immune to a second infection with the HSV type they already have. Syphilis is uncommon in female sex workers, even in "low end" ones -- and active oral infection and transmission by oral sex are rare. Here too you can safely assume the condom provided complete protection.

While there are no guarantees, personally if I were in your situation I would continue unprotected sex with my wife without the slightest worry, and I not recommend you have any STI testing of any kind.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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2 months ago

thanks doc

How confident should I be the condom did it's job against all stis? 99 percent?

thank you

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

2 months ago

100%.---

1 months ago

Happy 4th doctor. If I used a Polyisoprene condom for oral sex, does that change my level of protection or is that just as effective as a latex condom. Thank you!

1 months ago

sorry I did use a Polyisoprene. I want to make sure those are just as effective

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

All condom materials are equally effective in blocking passage of infectious fluids, bacteria and viruses -- latex or any of the plastics now used for condoms. As also discussed in both your threads, condoms are generally not recommended for oral sex, since there is no risk for HIV and zero to low risk for all other STIs. But if you decide to use condoms, you need not worry about safety differences between the various types.

That completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful.

Please note the forum policy against repeated questions on the same topic. This being your second about oral sex risks and condom effectiveness, it should be your last about either of these topics. If further questions come to mind on these topics, the answers probably have already been discussed. Repetitive questions may be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee. The forum sponsor doesn't want repeated payment for questions already answered (or whose answers are obvious from previous discussions) and repeated answers tend to prolong rather than relieve anxiety. In addition, such questions have reduced educational value for other users, one of the forum's goals. Thank you for your understanding.

Best wishes and stay safe.

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