[Question #7007] Risk of std’s?

62 months ago

I recently received a handjob from a woman who used her vaginal wetness as lubricant. I read from other questions in here that the risk of std transmission from her to me is low risk to zero risk. There are other platforms online that say there is a high risk. 1) what is my risk of getting an std from this exposure. 2) what kind of stds would I be at risk of? 3) why is there such a difference in answers from different sources online?

Thank you!

62 months ago

Just for clarification, we were touching ourselves separately, then after touching herself for a while, she started to touch me with the same hand, that’s when the handjob occurred.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

62 months ago

Welcome to our forum and thanks for your question. I’ll be glad to comment. I’m not sure what you mean by “different sources “. If you are referring to the internet that explains things. The internet is an unreliable source of information on STIs and HIV. Much of what is seen there is incorrect, either because it is taken out of context, is out of date, or reflects information that is simply wrong. The fact is that there are no solid scientific data to suggest that HIV or other STIs are EVER transmitted through transfer of genital secretions on one persons hand to another. The encounter you describe is not associated with meaningful risk for HIV or STI. I see no reason for concern or for testing related to the encounter you describe. EWH---

62 months ago

Thank you for the response.

The sources I mean are some sites like planned parenthood, but yes internet sources.

My assumption from what you’ve said is that even if she touched the head/tip of my penis near the opening to my urethra during the handjob with the vaginal secretions on her hand it would still be considered only a theoretical risk, and something you’ve not actually seen or heard of happening?

The sti’s I had read was able

Be transmitted through this was hpv (which I’m vaccinated for) syphillis, chlamydia, Gon., trich. More bacterial infections than viruses.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

62 months ago

I must say, I doubt that Planned Parenthood has suggested that exchange of genital secretions on someone’s hands and/or during mutual masturbation put persons at risk for STI’s. If they do they are wrong!

You are correct. The encounter you describe is considered a virtually no risk of HIV or STI. In nearly 40 years of working together and practice and on research focused almost entirely on STI’s neither I nor Dr. Handsfield have never seen or heard of a case of HIV or STI transmitted in the manner you describe. I see no reason for concern or for testing. HPV might, in theory be transmitted in this way however such transmission is extraordinarily rare and eclipsed by transmission through genital sexual contact. Finally with regard to HPV, there are no recommended tests for HPV in men and should you want to minimize your risk for HPV, the most important thing you could do is get vaccinated.

I hope this information is helpful to you. If there are further questions, you have one additional follow-up opportunity. EWH

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62 months ago

Thank you again, that makes sense.

My last questions would be to ask why that is? Why can’t these infections be transmitted in this way?

If genital to genital contact without penetration can lead to sti’s what is different about my incident?

Thanks again!

Edward W. Hook M.D.

62 months ago

I think you may have misunderstood my reply - your incident was a NO RISK event and genital to genital contact without penetration does NOT lead to transmission of the most common STIs.

Mutual masturbation in which partners get each others' genital secretions on one another is a virtually no risk event for STI transmission. This includes when genital secretions are spread from person to person on someone's hands or during non-penetrative genital-genital rubbing (frottage). These activities fail to transmit infection for a number of reasons including : exposure to the environment (air, room temperature) eliminates infectivity; these activities do not bring potentially infected secretions into contact with the specific tissue types which are vulnerable to infection by STIs (for instance, the outside of the male penis or the mature female vagina are not vulnerable to infection by gonorrhea of chlamydia), and a dilution effect that occurs when material is transferred from place-to place. We did not make this up! The statements I made in this reply have been verified and validated by decades of carefully conducted scientific studies. Thus, your incident is a no risk event.

I hope these replies clarify things for you. As mentioned earlier, as per Forum guidelines we provide up to three response for each question. This is my 3rd reply. Thus this thread will be closed shortly without further reply. EWH

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