Resolved question:
Hi doctor,
I am worried about my current situation. I went to a nail salon to get my eyebrows fixed and they used tweezers for me. After everything is done, I found several bleeding spots in my eyebrow area. Since I am not sure they properly cleaned the tweezer they used (actually I did not know they were going to use tweezer, otherwise I wouldn't have done it), I am now worrying that is there any chances that I could be getting HIV ? How much infected blood does it take get this disease? Do I need a HIV test? If I do need one, how long do I need to wait for the window period? Thank you so much.
Chu
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
HIV- AIDS Specialist
Hello,
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
The specific concern that you mentioned regarding the possibility of getting HIV because of the use of a tweezer is a highly unlikely scenario. This is because the HIV is spread mainly by unprotected sexual encounters with someone who is HIV positive or sharing drug equipment such as needles with someone who has HIV. Also HIV positive blood (which cannot survive on a tweezer) has to be transmitted directly into your blood (through a break or tear in your skin for the possibility of HIV transmission to occur.
Also I would like to reassure you that the HIV virus does not survive long outside the human body (such as on surfaces), and it cannot reproduce. It is not spread by air or water, insects, saliva, tears, or sweat, casual contact like shaking hands or sharing dishes, closed-mouth or “social” kissing, toilet seats.
Hope this helps
Hi Doctor Sebastian,
Thanks for the reply. The point is I broke my skin because of the tweezer, therefore, there was bleeding. I did not see if there was any blood from the last person because I took off my glasses. I understand that HIV virus does not survive on a tweezer, but what if there was some blood from a hiv patient on the tweezer? By the way, how much infected blood does it take to get this thing? Like one drop?
Thanks a lot.
Hello,
Thank you for the follow up.
I apologise I was under the impression that the bleeding appeared because the hair folicle had been pulled off forcefully resulting in a pin point bleed since this is pretty common while getting your eyebrows done with a tweezer.
Like I mentioned, even in the unlikely possibility that there was HIV positive blood on the tweezer the virus would not have been able to survive long enough to be transmitted into your body through a pore.
But to answer your direct question as to how much blood, a mmeasured quantity has not been ascertained. But even the small prick from a needle containing HIV blood can result in transmission, although the chances of that successful transmission is minute.
I would like to reassure you that the possibility of getting HIV specifically in the route that you have mentioned is highly unlikley. Hope this helps
Hi Doctor Sabastian,
Thank you for your follow up answer. So I do not need to take a blood test then, right?
Thanks.
Chu
Hello,
No an HIV test for this specific incident is not required.
Hope this helps. I look forward to your reply.
Thank you very much Doctor Sabastian. You have a nice day. : )
Chu
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
Wish you great health!
Regards.