Expert: Kristen Brannock, MPH - 6/16/2005

Question
Dear sir

Can hiv ýn a small piece of blood , live outside of body ? Last week , my hairdreser put out a hair from my skin ( chhek ) using a pin. Before he use the pin , he washed it  with water and with cologne and than he cleans with clean napkin. at least i was there for half an hour and nobody has use that pin in that time period. is it enough to wash it with cologne and clean with napkin? I didnt see anythýng on that pin , but lets imagine some hiv + man used it before ý use, can hiv live on a small pin? There was no visible blood on that pin and al least for half an hour nobody had used that.Also ý didnt bleed

pls reply me to my e-mail adress

Thank u

Answer
HIV can live outside the body as long as it is contained in a transmitting fluid. However, it is variable and it weakens quickly when outside the body. I do not know what you mean by "cologne"- perfumed water? If so, that would not kill HIV. Such utensils should be disinfected between clients and it does not sound as though the pin was disinfected.