[Question #1428] Herpes concern

96 months ago

Hello doctors.

Before i go with my question I wanted to mention that i spend the whole afternoon looking for answers here in the forum so I didnt have to bother you and also to save myself the money. having said this, I know ive asked similar questions before but i guess the feeling of getting the in and outs of every situation makes me feel better. this is my last quesition post. yesterday i visited a prostitute. no sex but a lot of naked hugging i only had uderwear and she was naked. she touched her vagina with her finger and then touched my lips with her figer. on my way out she unexpectedly gave me a peck kiss on the lips. just one second. i wanted to know if i could get herpes or syphilis from this encouters? from her finger or her lips? should i take some actions to protect my wife?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

96 months ago

Welcome back to the forum. However, I fear that you have failed to understand the main take-home messages from your two other threads. Among other things, my reply last time (when you were asking mainly about HPV) included this: "Without penetration of your penis into another person's vagina, rectum or mouth, you aren't at risk. STDs are not transmitted by such exposures as hand-genital contact (and certainly not foot-genital contact!), kissing, etc."

Accordingly, you could and should have known that the current exposure(s) carried no risk for herpes or any other STD. That said, kissing always can transmit HSV1, the cause of oral herpes. OTOH, sex workers are at no higher risk of having oral herpes than anyone else, and this kiss was no more risky than all the social/friendly kisses you have exchanged over the years with friends, co-workers, etc. And for sure there was no risk of syphilis or any other STD either. You need take no precautions to protect your wife.

Please note that repetative anxiety-driven questions are against forum policy. This will have to be your last question of this nature. Just remember the main message above, quoted from the previous thread. You need never ask about STD risks again unless and until you have intercourse with a high risk partner.

Best wishes and stay safe-- HHH, MD

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96 months ago

Hello dr HHH, thanks for answering my question. your take home message from last time was clear, youre right, i shouldnt have brought syphillis to the conversation and I know oral herpes is not an std but im concerened because i never had a sore in my mouth neither has my wife so I would hate it if i get this in such a stupid way out of my indiscretion. just to clarify, she didnt kiss me in the lips but in the corner on my miuth and cheek since i turned my head in time. the contact was less than a second. wouldyou agree that it would be hard for me to get it since i didnt see aores on her mouth and the contact was so brief? if 10 days pass and no syntoms you think i will be safe from this? and last. should i be worried about ther touching my lips with her finger? thanks for your patience once again.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

96 months ago

No measurable risk for oral herpes, in addition to no risk for STDs. You shoudln to be worried about her touching your lips with her finger. Why does it even enter your mind? People don't worry about such things.

You have now asked three questions that document your anxieties and conflicts about sexuality. You obviously feel a drive to extramarital sex, but you do it in an entirely safe way -- and yet you remain irrationally frightened about nonexistant STD risks as a result. My guess is that this is a psychological transfer -- that your STD fears aren't really about infection, but about your guilt and shame over a sexual lifestyle and decisions you regret. Deal with these as you need to, perhaps with professional counseling. But don't confuse these feelings with STD risk. They aren't the same. And please stop asking about infection risks that are no greater than shaking hands with friends!

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