Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 11/14/2005

Question
I was having my hair cut, when the hair stylist cut her finger on her scissors. I do not know if she has HIV or not - she did tell me she was an ex-hippi and did a lot of drugs - she is now a mother of two grown children and a grandmother - she is probably in her late 50s.

Because I am always running on empty brain wise (I have an infant son, and I am breastfeeding him), it just didn't register at the time that there could be a problem with the blood (although her lack of cleanliness left me in disgust). I let her proceed in cutting my hair. She used the same scissors without sterilizing them, and she was still bleeding.

When I got home, again, without thinking, I gave my son a huge hug. My hair, as usual, brushed across his face a couple of times - he rubbed his eyes and nose as it always tickles him a bit. I also breastfed him lying down on his blanket with him. Then, reality set in...

What if she has HIV or hepatitis B? What if I have dried blood on my hair (which was likely), and it got into my son's eyes, ears, nose or mouth? What if....

I have been filled with anxiety ever since this incidence. My question is...

Is there any chance, that if she does have HIV, that either my son or myself could have been infected if there was contact (either via the eyes, ears, nose, mouth or skin) with any dried blood on my hair.  

I am grateful for any help you can provide.

Thank you so much!

Answer
When infected blood enters another person's body, transmission is possible. However, I really do not think you have anything to worry about other than whether to go to this person again or not. It is most definitely not professional to not clean instruments and not attend to a cut before working on a client. HIV is actually not an easy virus to acquire-some people who have had unprotected sex with an infected person a repeated number of times have not become infected. I would not worry about this too much-just keep an eye out to see if you or your son starts to feel sick, in which case you can see a doctor. But even then, I wouldnt think it would be HIV-maybe just some type of cold virus.