[Question #8064] Sex Toy transmission?
49 months ago
|
Someone recently used a fleshlight on me(I was the receiver). As I believed that you couldn't contract STD's from inanimate object, I wasn't too concerned but I now heard new information that it can spread STDs. They also put their own lube in this fleshlight. I have no idea whether or not this person used this fleshlight on themself right before this encounter. My questions are,
1. Worst case scenario, let's say this person did have an STD and used this fleshlight on themself 10 minutes before my encounter so it may still have been wet when they used it on me, am I at a high risk of getting an STD, provided this person did have one.
2. If their body fluids were in the lube they used for me, is this a risk or no risk? I heard all STDS can't live outside the human body for long but I was unsure how long.
I was previously scrolling through other people's answers and they asked about the risk of contracting an STD from a purchased fleshlight. I too have purchased a fleshlight and lube online(this is different to the fleshlight and lube mentioned above) and it did also say it was able to be returned, so I was concerned that the returners might've sealed the product so it looked unopened and then sent it back and then the sellers gave me this used product.(I know this is a very extreme case)
Q3. Let's say in an extreme case there was body fluids from an infected person in the purchased fleshlights+ lube, is there any risk of me acquiring an STD(HIV, HSV,HPV, syphillis, chlamydia, gonorrhea) from this. It took around 1 day for the products to ship to me( so it said it shipped on the 17th and arrived on the 18th) and I used the product immediately after it came.
Thank you Doctors
I know this seems extreme but I do have severe health anxiety which makes it so random what if scenarios always pop up in my head. Should I get any STD test or no need?
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
49 months ago
|
Welcome to the forum. I'm happy to address these issues.
For an inanimate object, such as flashlight, to transmit STDs, the object must be shared promptly between individuals (usually within a few minutes, before body fluids or other contaminants have a chance to dry out. Even with use in quick succession, the actual risk probably is very low for most or all STDs (and especially low for HIV), but nobody can say the risk is zero. If there is also unprotected sex, the chance of infection is much higher than with contaminated sex toys. To your specific questions:
1. This depends on information you don't mention. How much time was there before your partner's use and your own? Are we speaking of rectal insertion, oral, vagina, or what? Was the flashlight wiped (or ideally, washed with soap and water or perhaps a disinfecting gel) between uses? If your partner known to have any STD? What sexes are you and your partner?
2. STDs probably are never transmitted through lube. First, lube usually doesn't get contaminated with body fluids. If it does, there still is no likely problem. Some lubes contain preservatives that prevent contamination, or promptly kill bacteria or viruses. Finally, even if these germs survive, the amount that would be carried in lube used by the next person probably would usually be too small for infection to take hold. So although I cannot say the risk is zero, it certainly is extremely low; I am unaware of any scientific reports that such STD transmission has ever happened.
3. The wording "in the purchased flashlight" suggest you might be thinking it could have been used and contaminated before it was sold or acquired. That probably has never happened. If somehow it did, once the fluids had dried -- within a few minutes -- there would be no transmission risk.
Should you be tested? Probably not, but it might depend on the information you haven't yet provided. I'll be happy to comment further if you'd like to fill in those details. In the meantime, I hope these comments have been helpful.
HHH, MD
---
49 months ago
|
To answer your questions. I am a male and I meant a fleshlight which is a male sex toy, not a flashlight.
To answer your questions.
1. It was penile insertion. The fleshlight is like a toy vagina. I don't know whether it was washed after use, but I assume it would be with water but not sure about soap. Both males (me and partner). No penetration was involved, the only thing that happened was the fleshlight was used on me. I'm not 100% sure if this partner even used it prior to using it on me but let's say he used it like ~10-15 minutes before me and it was still wet, is this a high risk for transmission for any STD. How long do STD's(HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphillis, HSV, HPV) survive for outside the body? Also not sure if this person had an STD because I am no longer in contact with this person.
2. The ingredients for the lube are propylene glycol, glycerin, purified waterm methylparaben, polyquaternium 15. Are any of these enough to kill the STD's. If so how long would it take for the STD's to die.
3. I think you mistook fleshlight as flashlight. Fleshlight's don't dry as quickly as a few minutes. Since this fleshlight took one day to ship, can STD's even survive this long outside the human body.
Thanks and apologies for missing out on information.
To answer your questions.
1. It was penile insertion. The fleshlight is like a toy vagina. I don't know whether it was washed after use, but I assume it would be with water but not sure about soap. Both males (me and partner). No penetration was involved, the only thing that happened was the fleshlight was used on me. I'm not 100% sure if this partner even used it prior to using it on me but let's say he used it like ~10-15 minutes before me and it was still wet, is this a high risk for transmission for any STD. How long do STD's(HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphillis, HSV, HPV) survive for outside the body? Also not sure if this person had an STD because I am no longer in contact with this person.
2. The ingredients for the lube are propylene glycol, glycerin, purified waterm methylparaben, polyquaternium 15. Are any of these enough to kill the STD's. If so how long would it take for the STD's to die.
3. I think you mistook fleshlight as flashlight. Fleshlight's don't dry as quickly as a few minutes. Since this fleshlight took one day to ship, can STD's even survive this long outside the human body.
Thanks and apologies for missing out on information.
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
49 months ago
|
Thanks for the follow-up comments and for clarifying the device. I didn't confuse fleshlight with flashlight, but I do have a clearer picture of the situation.
1,3) If the other guy had a transmissible STD and the device was not cleaned between his use and yours, there could be risk you were infected. However, most urethral/penile STDs cause symptoms. Assuming you have no symptoms (discharge, painful urination, penile sores) within a few days, it is very unlikely you were infected. But feel free to be tested if you would like to know for certain. The causative bacteria and viruses might survive for several hours in a closed, wet environment. But it is hard to imagine the Fleshlight would have been used before it was shipped to you! Does that make any sense to you? It doesn't to me.
2) To the best of my knowledge, both the methyl paragon and polyquaternium would instantly inactivate all STD viruses and bacteria. However, I am not an expert in this area.
I am confident you are at little or no risk for any infections from this event. But as I said, you are free to be tested if the negative results would give you more confidence.
---
49 months ago
|
Thank you Dr Handsfield!
The reason I was mainly concerned about the purchased sex toy(fleshlight) being used was because in the return policy, it said it could be returned within 30 days, had it not been opened. I know this is super super extreme but I imagined a scenario where the buyer resealed all the packaging carefully and made it as if it was brand new even when he used it once and returned it and then after this, the seller sold it to me. Q1. So would you say 24 hours is definitely long enough for the viruses & bacteria to have died in a closed, wet environment?
2. Also is there any chance that transmission can happen if I used a tissue or wet cloth to wipe myself after this encounter. Once again, assuming that there was an infected person's secretions on this tissue/wet cloth. (let's say these tissues came from a box so a closed environment)
3. One more question is, I once went to a massage place and it was a happy ending place so I was fully nude lying down on the bed. If the bed wasn't cleaned after the previous customer came, is there any risk for my contracting any STD from just lying on the same bed assuming there was an infected person's secretions there.
I know all these scenarios seem very extreme but I just want to make sure.
Thank you
The reason I was mainly concerned about the purchased sex toy(fleshlight) being used was because in the return policy, it said it could be returned within 30 days, had it not been opened. I know this is super super extreme but I imagined a scenario where the buyer resealed all the packaging carefully and made it as if it was brand new even when he used it once and returned it and then after this, the seller sold it to me. Q1. So would you say 24 hours is definitely long enough for the viruses & bacteria to have died in a closed, wet environment?
2. Also is there any chance that transmission can happen if I used a tissue or wet cloth to wipe myself after this encounter. Once again, assuming that there was an infected person's secretions on this tissue/wet cloth. (let's say these tissues came from a box so a closed environment)
3. One more question is, I once went to a massage place and it was a happy ending place so I was fully nude lying down on the bed. If the bed wasn't cleaned after the previous customer came, is there any risk for my contracting any STD from just lying on the same bed assuming there was an infected person's secretions there.
I know all these scenarios seem very extreme but I just want to make sure.
Thank you
49 months ago
|
Just to add, I am mainly concerned about HIV, HSV, HPV (as from what I know these are the incurable ones) but I would still like to know the risk for all other STD's as well. I got the gardasil vaccine 6-7 years ago. I think it was the 4 as it was a triple dose one.
49 months ago
|
Q4. One more quick question is how long should I wait before I test for each STD. (HSV,HIV, Syphillis, chlamydia, gonorrhea)
49 months ago
|
5. Also when you say "instantly inactivate all STD viruses and bacteria," that means the virus is killed and can no longer be transmitted/ no longer contagious right.
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
49 months ago
|
You're worrying needlessly about outlandishly unlikely scenarios. You are never at risk for STDs (including HIV) from any of the kinds of exposure you mention. Without direct vaginal, anal or oral sex with a live partner, you can safely assume you are at zero risk and do not need testing.
Testing intervals: Gonorrhea and chlamydia 4-5 days after exposure. HIV and syphilis 6 weeks, HSV 3-4 months. But only if really at risk. I see no need for testing in the circumstances you have described so far. The only exception would be if your male friend had ejaculated in the fleshlight and you then used it without cleaning it first.
---
49 months ago
|
So just to see if I am understanding what you are saying, the bought sex toy which even if in the very extreme situation was used and still had fluids when it was delivered to me and I immediately used it situation, the infected wet cloth situation and also sitting on the same infected massage table situation poses 0 risk at all. I am quite curious though, will all those viruses/bacteria have died within 24 hours while it was being shipping. Sorry if it seems repetitive but my anxiety will not ease until I know for sure I'm okay.
And, the only potential risk is from the sharing of fleshlight, only if my partner had ejaculated in the fleshlight and then I immediately used it?
Thank you Dr Handsfield
And, the only potential risk is from the sharing of fleshlight, only if my partner had ejaculated in the fleshlight and then I immediately used it?
Thank you Dr Handsfield
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
49 months ago
|
I can't say how quickly any STD bacteria and viruses would die or become non transmissible. But I do know that no STDs or HIV have ever been reported to have been transmitted in this fashion. So I don't see that the biological reasons matter. You aren't at risk -- no point in wondering about it further, in my opinion. The last question is asking me to repeat what I have already said. Re-read my replies above.
That completes the two follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful.
---