[Question #4332] condom usage

81 months ago

When using a condom (before putting it on), do you have to be careful about touching the inside of a condom, or touching your hand to your penis/ano-genital region after fingering/digital stimulation to a woman? Does that negate the usage?

I had asked a question that may have been somewhat similar to this before concerning touching someone and then touching yourself and if you could transfer any STI that way- Dr. Hook was very helpful and answered, "STI's are not transferred that way,"

a) A certain length of time in between when you touch the person and when you touch yourself or the condom matter? or it just simply doesn't happen that way?

b) When Dr. Hook referred to "STI's," he would be indicating the classics, including HPV and Herpes?

c) For Herpes, it has to be direct lesion to skin contact?- can't get into the system via a cut on the hand or something, right?

d) if a girl is wearing underwear and is straddling me while I wear boxers (kind with hole in them), but no skin to skin contact, no chance of transfer even if she rubs up on my stomach on bare skin?

Essentially, I'm thinking it just doesn't happen that way and I'm being too nitpicky about it and it's as simple as it may seem- as long as you apply the condom correctly, you don't need to concern with that? and, anything other than direct sexual contact and/or penetration with a penis to vagina/anus is safe? I'm probably overcomplicating this, but I appreciate the clarification

81 months ago

and for b) when referring to HPV that includes Genital Wart types, not just the high risk ones, essentially all of them? They are included when Dr. Hook refers to STI?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

81 months ago

There are 8-10 questions on the forum (representing up to $250 in fees) from username Aaron. Perhaps not all are you, but most are. All of them ask about obviously non-risky situations, and/or have had absence of risk described in responses from me, Dr. Hook, or Ms. Warren.

These questions are similar. You're way overthinking your risks for STD, as you suggest yourself ("I'm probably overcomplicating this....")

a) I don't see how this could make any difference.

b) Yes, including warts. FYI, there is no significant difference beteen STD and STI, even though many experts tend to prefer one or the other.

c) Probably could be transmitted to a fresh cut, but in my 40+ years in the STD business, I've never seen such a case.

d) No risk.

Just remember the basics: wise partner selection, condoms for vaginal or anal sex with partners of unknown or perhaps risky status, and perhaps occasional (yearly?) testing. And no shared drug injection needles. That's all. Disregard all other details!

HHH, MD

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81 months ago

I appreciate all of that. You guys are the tremendously respected experts and have been very helpful and are truly appreciated for the work you do. You have helped me a ton with your information, more than you know.

If you could help clarify the questions related to the precious question-

For a) you are saying that time doesn’t matter (could be 3 seconds, 3 minutes or 3 hours) if you touched someone in their ano-genital area and touched yourself in the absence of sex, std/sti’s (herpes, hpv (including genital warts), HIV, Chlamydia, etc...) just don’t transfer that way? Correct?

[ I had asked Dr. Hook about a scenario where I touched a strippers underwear with my hands and was worried if I could transfer to myself after that- but later realized I was not exactly sure of how long afterwards. He said no risk for 1 hr later, but wasn’t sure if it was still no risk even if a few seconds or few minutes later if I went to the bathroom or something]

And b) when Dr Hook was referring to sti/std in a zero risk scenario, that includes herpes, genital warts, chlamydia, etc.. also correct? I just wasn’t sure if std/sti also included herpes and Genital Warts/HPV because I’ve always classicly understood it as the big three- HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea.

[this was also mainly related to the stripper scenario- wanted to make sure I could let transfer genital herpes, and/or genital warts to myself, among the other classic std’s]

81 months ago

C) And when touching the strippers underwear, even if I grazed underneath the edge, which I don’t think I did, but due to drinking, I question if I remember exactly. Dr hook said even if I had genital fluids on my hands (assuming also meaning herpes, genital warts materials) that it didn’t matter, just doesn’t happen that way and can’t remember exact amount of time in between, but it seems that time doesn’t matter form your first response? And no risk scenario regardless of time between contact of her and myself

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

81 months ago

a) Because it is impossible to prove a negative, nobody can say there is zero risk from such an event, and the trivial risk might be a bit higher with a more prolonged than a shorter exposures. So what?

b) I'm sure Dr. Hook meant his response to apply to all STDs, not just the "big three".

c) This also sounds like zero risk.

PLEASE stop asking for additional opinions about questions already answered. I appreciate your thanks and your appreciation for our services. But PLEASE re-read my comment above about remembering the basics; and please stop asking any more questions about any other kind of exposure other than unprotected insertive sex. OK?

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