Hello Doctor,

Three days ago, I visited a sexual massage center in Montreal, Canada.

I had vaginal intercourse, but only for about 3 seconds—I inserted my penis once and then immediately withdrew.

The massage worker was the one who put the condom on me, which is what concerns me—I'm not sure if the condom was of good quality or not. Ejaculation happened inside the condom, and I didn’t notice any leaks, but the outside of the condom felt sticky. I don’t know if that was due to vaginal fluids or something else.

Note: This worker has been working in this salon since 2020. I had met her before, but there was no significant exposure back then.

My question is: What is the risk of HIV transmission in this situation?

Thank you.

This exposure was little or no risk for HIV or any STI. First, such a brief vaginal sex exposure is inherently low risk. Second, who puts the condom on makes no difference. Third, it is a mistake to believe that some condoms are of "good quality" or not. It doesn't matter. If the condom remains intact (no wide open breakage), protection is complete. Despite what you might read online, there is no such thing as micrscopic leaks that allow transmission of HIV or other STIs. Of course the outside of a condom can "feel sticky" after sex, due to normal vaginal moisture:  this is entirely normal.

This was a zero risk exposure for all practical purposes. I do not advise testing for HIV or anything else. If you have a regular partner, you a safely continue your usual sexual practices without worry.

I hope this response is helpful. Let me know if you remain concerned.

HHH, MD