[Question #4970] Chances of contracting herpes from a Brazilian wax

Avatar photo
78 months ago
Hi experts,

I'm just wondering if you think that getting a Brazilian bikini wax, when all the hair is removed from the vulva area, is considered a high risk activity for contracting herpes or HIV?  

I know herpes transmission requires skin-to-skin contact most of the time, but I am wondering about this particular scenario:

I go to a clean, modern, nationwide, chain salon that specializes in waxing.
My waxer always uses throw away sticks, has never double-dipped into the wax while I have been there, changes the table paper, and wears fresh gloves.

She does, however, use some tools/handles some containers with her gloves on after she has been touching my vulva region, which made me think:

If she is holding these things (a plastic container of talc powder, or when she uses her hand to depresses the plastic pump on the finishing lotion, then smooths it onto my freshly waxed skin), is it possible that someone who may have been there minutes before me (who has herpes, active or not, or HIV, and may have had some bleeding during the wax) could have left some residue on the talc container or lotion pump- from when she was handling it when they were there- then she would be putting that on me when she holds/touches those objects and then touches my skin?  Are the chances of contracting HSV/HIV in this scenario likely?

She also sometimes uses tweezers that are in a glass jar of blue liquid.  
Is there a big risk of contracting anything from these tweezers, or is the blue disinfectant doing the job?

Thanks so much for answering.  I wish I did not worry so much about this kind of thing, but I do.
Avatar photo
Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
78 months ago
No, the waxing is not a risk for acquiring herpes.  However, if a person already has herpes (whether they know it or not), waxing an bring on an outbreak because of trauma of ripping hair off on the nerves in the area. 
The blue liquid is disinfecting the tools so that's no worry at all.  And neither is the talc powder.  This is not how herpes is transmitted. 
It sounds to me like your waxing salon does a good job with clean practices. 
I'm sorry you worry, but I think you can take this one off your plate.

Terri
---