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How Long Do HIV Virus Survive Outside Human Body?

Posted on Tue, 12 Apr 2016

Question: Hi Doctor, I am in a strange situation. Today I went to a barber shop for a hair cut. He used trimmer for hair cut. He had been using it on other customer, then immediately he took the clip (as we know that trimmer has blade inside it and also one clip which covers the blade) and rubbed the inside blade with a cloth and kept the other clip. All this was happened with in a few seconds. Then he started using it on my head and finished it. I am very much sure that there were no cuts or bleeding after the hair cut, If at all there were some cuts or bleeding during the hair cut, I would have felt it.Since he rubbed the blade with a cloth for few seconds, at that time I didn't think about it much. But all the cleaning and changing the clip happened in few seconds. As I am aware that HIV can be transmitted through intercourse or sharing needles. In the worst case scenario, I am assuming the other person is HIV positive, are there any remote chances that virus can be passed through other person in the situations like this.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It is not yet proved but theoretical possibility is there

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using Healthcaremagic.

HIV virus outside human body can survive for a very short period and this limits chance of transmission of HIV through barber shops. Even the mater debated widely but there is no evidence to date which shows transmission of HIV through this mode.

Although it can be stated that theoretical possibility is there if both of individuals using particular razor/blade get injured and there is obvious bleeding.

So you can say there are remote chances but practically the chances are almost nil or nil.

I hope this helps you.
If you have more questions feel free to write back to me.
Thanks and regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (21 minutes later)

Hi Doctor, Thank you for the quick reply. I just want to make a point that I don't feel any cut or pain during and after the hair cut. And I am 100% sure that there is no bleeding.If at all there was some bleeding, I would have obviously felt it. So i wanted to know that if the other person is HIV positive and the barber used the same trimmer on me (As i mentioned in my previous post, the barber had removed the upper clip and rubbed the inside blades with cloth and kept the other clip on the blades, but all this happened with in a seconds. This is the situation, Do you think are there any chances, do I have to worry about it?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
No, there are no chances

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for follow up.

As stated above according to science and available data there are no chances of HIV transmission in your case and definitely you do not need to worry about it.

I hope this clarifies.
Thanks and regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (22 minutes later)

Thank you so much doctor. Just to add one more point to the above discussion, He used the trimmer just to cut the hair, not for complete hair removal (bald head). So even I think of worst case scenarios (assuming some blood still there on the blade of the trimmer even after rubbing it with cloth for few seconds), I do have a little hair covering my head, which eventually won't allow anything to go inside my body.As I also mentioned that there are no cuts / bleeding after the hair cut. Do you recommend no testing needed for this situation.

Sorry for troubling you doctor, but I am little paranoid about the HIV transmission. I want to move on normally.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I do not think you need any testing

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for reverting back to me.

I understand your concern as HIV is not that simple disease which can be dealt easily like other infectious diseases. My answer to chance of HIV transmission remains same and I do not think you need any further testing.

Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar