QUESTION
I recently had a sexual experience with a guy. I gave him a blowjob with no ejaculation or pre-cum. I then put a condom on him and received anal for about 10 strokes, but did not like it so I ended it. After that, I gave him a handjob and he came and some of it was on my hand. My question is in regards to a small cut, reminiscent of a paper cut, I had on my hand. I do not know his HIV status and am wondering about transmission. I've been worried for days.

ANSWER
Infection from HIV is very rare in the circumstances you describe. Exactly how HIV is transmitted -- whether inside cells or via free virus -- we don't know but it seems very hard to transmit HIV from body secretions to cuts or skin. A few reports have come in over the past 25 years of HIV transmission from bloody fights or car accidents but again that is the exception not the rule. HIV is most effectively spread through unprotected sex and shared needles.

As for sexual encounters in general, it is best to be safe and either know your partners' HIV and STD status for sure or use precautions, like condoms, to lower the possibility of infection. For information on how to prevent HIV transmission, click here.

To your health,
Dr. K