[Question #3655] Unprotected oral sex question

88 months ago

Thanks doctors for my previous posts, you have helped me in the past. So I came to the conclusion, that I'm going to have unprotected oral sex more so in my life etc. it's something that just happens. Today I got it from a stripper unfortunatly, that wouldn't stop insisting. She said she was clean and in grad school, studying the health care field. And gets tested every 6 months. She had no lesions present at all. My question is, with no lesions present on the other person, Am i okay generally to receive unprotected oral? I mean this would probably have the same risk if I picked a girl up from a bar right? Fact is, I'm going to live my life and have sex. I just want to be more informed and safe about it. I've had numerous unprotected oral exposures in my life to this point. Prob from 300 different women, and never tested positive for anything yet. Some of them being massage girls or strippers. I say this cause I know 50 percent of ppl have hsv1, so I had to come in contact with it by now. My sisters and my dad get cold sores and I never had one, to this point. Should I worry about unprotected oral sex, with no lesions present, on the other persons mouth? Oral sex with a condom unfortunately just doesn't work most of the time. Women don't want to give it anyway with a condom, due to the taste

Edward W. Hook M.D.

88 months ago

Welcome back to our Forum. Today I will be answering your questions. I have reviewed your earlier interactions with Dr. Handsfield and Ms. Warren and agree with all that they said. With regard to today's questions, I totally agree with Dr. Handsfield when he said "Oral sex truly is safe sex, at least if "safe" is not interpreted as zero risk. But it's low risk for all STDs and virtually zero for some, such as HIV. Although various STDs can involved the oral cavity (mouth, throat, lips, etc.), mostly they do not: even in people with genital gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, HPV, etc., most do not have oral infections. And when they do, they are transmitted infrequently." Persons may occasionally have oral gonorrhea or, quite rarely chlamydia and when they do, these infections are typically asymptomatic. Thus the absence of signs or symptoms in you partners does not assure that they are not infected. Nonetheless such infections are rare and as your own history illustrates, infections from such exposures is very uncommon.

I agree with you as well that, if anything, sex with someone picked up in a bar may be higher risk than similar exposures with a professional who cares for themselves.

Finally, given that others in your family already have cold sores and how common HSV-1 is, it is more likely than not that you too already have HSV-1 and, if you do, you will not get it again even if exposed. Were I you, I would not be overly worried about getting HSV-1 from your receipt of oral sex. Further should you get it, genital HSV-1 typically recurs rarely, if at all and causes few problems for those who have it.

I hope these comments are helpful. EWH

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88 months ago

thanks Dr hook, and with no lesions present, no cold sores etc, I'm looking at a 1% chance? and ive never had HSV1 come positive on a test before. the last number gauge i got on hsv1 was .03 and hsv 2 was .07

Edward W. Hook M.D.

88 months ago

Your chance of acquiring HSV from receipt of oral sex is far less than 1%.

In my opinion, testing for HSV for you is a waste of time and money. There is no meaningful risk of acquiring HSV-2 from receipt of oral sex and the blood test for HSV-1 misses over 1/4 of infections. EWH

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88 months ago

Thanks doc one last thing. How long should one factor in, that I'm in the clear without symptoms? Today is day 2. I have Mild prostatis as diagnosed by a uro already, so my penile head is sore sometimes to begin with, but no lesions. So that's an only symptom I have, which I had beforehand however

Edward W. Hook M.D.

88 months ago

Symptoms of STI like gonorrhea and chlamydia would appear most typically within 5 to 7 days after your exposure. Herpes, which should not be a concern, would create lesions within 14 days of exposure. I urge you not to worry.

As you know this is my third response to your questions. As per forum guidelines this thread will be closed later today. Please try not to worry. EWH

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