Expert: Terry B - 7/25/2007

Question
Hi, I hope you can help me, I've been really worried. Be prepared, this is a long story:

On may 7, 2007, I went with my friend to get nails done. The lady accidentally cut my cuticle with the cuticle trimmer and I started to bleed pretty bad. About maybe 5 or less minutes after she did that, I went and washed my hands with soap and water and she continued to work on my hands.  After she was completely done, I wiped my finger/hands with a antibacterial wipe in my purse. When I got home later that evening I washed my hand again and put bactine (I think neosporin) and a bandaid on it. I never got any fungus or anything from it, But I'm afraid I may have caught something like hiv.  I should tell you that, even though I'm 19 I stress way too much (Because I have severe ocd). Anyway, on june 9th, I had diarrhea (But it wasn't bad at all) I've been getting a lot of migraines and tension headaches. I also get what feels like "Hot flashes". Sometimes, I used to get these marks on my face (They were dry red patches of skin) and they would go away and come back. But I haven't had them for awhile now. Now, I have a slight sore throat and my ears kind of hurt but there's also some white stuff on the back of my tongue (But I've always had that stuff on my tongue) So, I don't know if I'm just thinking it's worse now since I'm obsessing on it. Also, the day I had a mani, I also had a pedi. But I had just shaved my legs like 2 hours before I went and cut myself pretty bad, But I had 2 bandaids over it when I was getting my feet done. Do you think I could've caught hiv? I'm a big hypochondriac and I stress a lot. But I'm really paranoid. I was gonna get an aids test in 6 months cause I'm so upset, I can't even hardly sleep. When the lady did my nails it looked like a little patch of something red or brown but it looked dried (And my friend says she saw them sterelize their equipment before they closed before). I'm just really scared, what do you think? Sorry this was so long.

Answer
Dear Samantha:

Peace.  Don't worry about the long question, it was easy to skim through to the important parts.  The cut you experienced was from a cuticle trimmer - which would need to have been wet with blood, semen, or vaginal secretions from an infected person to pose you any risk. Further, you bled profusely, by your description, indicating that it was a laceration, not a puncture wound (less risky).  So, no.  I don't think you could have contracted HIV.  Go ahead and be tested for your own peace of mind, and please pursue treatment for your Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - sounds like it is making you pretty miserable.

I wish you and yours the best.

Terry