Almost every man starts his day with a stubble shave to look flawless and well-groomed. And situations when you cut yourself with a razor are also known to many. In the event that a man uses a sharp razor, the cuts are invisible and thin, but deep enough and bleeding heavily. An open wound is always a path for pathogenic flora to enter the body.
About what to do during shaving cuts, many men do not fully know. Many people know a life hack from the past, when a newspaper is applied to a cut. In fact, this is a rather unhygienic method that all doctors would dispute. Banal cuts after shaving require first aid and disinfection, since even incurable infections such as HIV.
Many men are concerned about the question of why a cut when shaving is a fairly common occurrence, even if a man handles the machine carefully. The fact is that a high-quality bristle shaving machine should cleanly shave hairs from the skin, but at the same time protective cells are removed from the skin, as well as the first stratum corneum. Further, the skin, which is not yet ready for external factors of influence, begins to dry, tighten and become irritated.
On irritated skin with an uneven inflamed structure, the chances of cutting yourself increase significantly. Especially if a man is in a hurry to shave off the hairs or hold the machine against the hairline. A sharp blade along with hairs will cut the skin, which will accordingly lead to cuts and abrasions. According to statistics, every man at least once seriously injured his facial skin while shaving.
For reference! Before each shaving procedure, it is necessary to warm the skin with warm water so that it becomes softer and more pliable for shaving the stubble.
How to avoid cuts?
Refusing to shave is impractical, since not every man can afford a beard and mustache for one reason or another. Due to the risks of skin injury, it is also not worth reducing the frequency of shaving, you just need to know and follow preventive measures.
In order not to provoke a cut from a razor, a man needs to know the basic rules for performing the procedure, as well as follow the recommendations of specialists. Namely:
- Use a quality razor to shave the bristles. If uneven blades are visible on the machine, it must be replaced with a new machine.
- You should not perform shaving procedures without fully waking up, since this process must be performed vigilantly with the utmost degree of concentration.
- You should not use one machine if abrasions and cuts constantly appear after its use. In extreme cases, you can use a mechanical or electric razor.
- If a cut occurs, immediately rinse the wound with hot water so that the blood vessels narrow under the thermal effect. You can do the same trick, but with cold water, which works in the same way.
If skin and wounds appear after each shaving, you need to contact a dermatologist, and also choose suitable cosmetic products for the skin to moisturize, nourish, restore and relieve the inflammatory process.
What to do if you cut yourself with a razor?
Every man should know the basic rules of what to do if he cuts himself while shaving, since no one is immune from such risks. In this case, there will be no time to think and look for advice on what to do. Therefore, it is worth inquiring about first aid for a facial skin injury in advance in order to be prepared for similar situations in the future.
For minor wounds
First you need to open the first aid kit, get a piece of gauze or cotton from there, and then immediately attach it to the cut. It is not necessary to blot, rub or press down the wound, it will be enough to hold the cotton on the wound for about 10 minutes. By this, the man will not interfere with the normal process of blood clotting. Next, the wound must be treated with an antiseptic or antibiotic, for example, hydrogen peroxide and ointment.
Also, for first aid for cuts during shaving, experts advise using alum stones from cuts, namely the mineral alunite with an extensive list useful properties, For example:
- antiseptic;
- hemostatic;
- bacteriostatic;
- astringent action.
Stones can be found in any specialized store or ordered through an online resource. It is also impractical to use such minerals constantly, since only point and periodic use can be effective. In most cases, standard first aid procedures will suffice.
For a deep cut
It is necessary to use the razor for its intended purpose smoothly and without haste, since a sharp blade can leave rather deep cuts. You can even determine a deep cut visually, the skin diverges on two sides and causes severe and rapid bleeding. For deep cuts, follow these steps:
- wash the damaged area with hot or cold water to cause constriction of blood vessels;
- if possible, apply a tourniquet to the injury site;
- an antiseptic, such as brilliant green or peroxide, should be applied to the cut site;
- if even with a bandage the bleeding does not stop, you need to see a doctor.
A compression bandage must slow down the flow of blood to local vessels, thereby stopping the bleeding. As soon as the bandage gets wet, you need to replace it with a dry one and apply a tourniquet slightly above the cut. In the future, it is important to treat the cut site with healing and antibacterial ointments or solutions.
First aid if the bleeding does not stop
Equally important is the question of how to stop the bleeding after shaving, especially if a deep cut provoked profuse bleeding. Severe bleeding is the result of injury to a large vessel, therefore, in this case, a man is often sewn up with a cut in a medical facility.
As mentioned earlier, the first task is to restore the normal process of blood clotting. To do this, put cotton wool, gauze or cloth on the cut and press it lightly.
Keep the cut in this state for at least 10 minutes. If the bandage gets wet, and blood with the same abundance is released from the cut, you need to see a doctor. Additionally, you can do the following:
- Apply ointment "Traumeel" with herbal ingredients that promote healing and tissue regeneration.
- You can mix beeswax and olive oil, thanks to which you can moisturize the skin.
- You can speed up the healing process with ointments with calendula in the composition.
Also, washing with cold or hot water leads to narrowing of blood vessels, which can reduce the rate of bleeding. You can also apply ice to the cut. With heavy bleeding, a bandage is applied to prevent blood loss in every possible way.
What is strictly prohibited?
There are a number of contraindications and warnings from specialists for men who regularly experience skin cuts when shaving their stubble. Namely:
- wounds after shaving should not be sprinkled with improvised means from unverified advisers, for example, sugar or starch;
- it is forbidden to independently remove stuck fragments of the blade from cuts;
- disinfect cuts with perfume or cologne, as this will cause severe skin pigmentation.
To disinfect a wound, you can only use medications - hydrogen peroxide, iodine or brilliant green, in extreme cases, a solution of calendula. There are also many antibacterial ointments and creams for topical treatment of injuries.
Advice! When bleeding from a cut, it is forbidden to blot the blood, as well as apply non-sterile materials to stop the bleeding. If bleeding increases, it is important to call a doctor or visit a hospital.
When should you see a doctor?
Any shaving cut can develop into blood loss, severe stress for the body and unpleasant consequences. At the same time, many men do not dare to seek help from a doctor, but prefer to solve problems on their own.
There are a number of symptoms and episodes that urgently require medical attention, namely:
- when a fragment of a blade or other third-party object got into the wound;
- if swelling and redness form around the cut;
- with the formation of edema and soreness of the place around the cut;
- if bleeding increases, and there is no possibility of applying a tourniquet;
- with the appearance of itching and changes in the shape of the cut, its shade and size.
It must be understood that swelling, redness, itching and pain may indicate the development of an inflammatory process against the background of an infection entering the wound. In this case, in addition to the cut, the resulting diseases will develop, requiring medical treatment.
Can you get HIV through a razor?
Few men think and know for sure whether it is possible to get HIV through a razor. The immunodeficiency virus is transmitted to a healthy person through contact of the patient's biological fluid with mucous membranes or blood. A cut on the skin of the face is an open and bleeding wound through which this virus most easily penetrates. Therefore, theoretically, infection HIV infection through a razor is quite possible.
Statistics say that the risks of HIV infection through a razor are about 2%, such cases are quite rare in medical practice, but they do exist. The virus enters through open wounds, so facial cuts can also lead to infection. To do this, it is enough to use the machine of another person who suffers from such a disease.
Conclusion
Cuts to the skin of the face with a razor are not uncommon for modern man who is accustomed to the fussy and hasty rhythm of life. Protecting your face from the risks of injury is simple, for this you need to always inspect the blade of the machine so that it is smooth and even. Blades need to be changed every 3-4 days, as long as the stubble is shaved daily. You need to remove hairs perpendicular to the location of the blades along the hairline. Well, a 100% measure of protection against cuts will be the use of an electric razor.
The question of how HIV infection is transmitted from person to person in everyday life continues to arise in the forums. The number of infected people is constantly growing, and a life-saving vaccine has not yet been created. If AIDS were infected in everyday life, then almost the entire population would be at risk of infection. household way HIV transmission is extremely rare, but still possible.
The risk of catching HIV in everyday life is very small, but a viral infection can be transmitted in the following ways:
- direct contact of blood, breast milk, vaginal secretions, sperm of a patient with damaged skin or mucous membranes of a healthy person;
- ingress of the above liquids into an open wound.
According to medical statistics, people are very rarely infected with HIV at home. And yet, living in the same apartment with an infected person, you need to be very careful and be aware of how HIV infection is transmitted.
Infection through the blood
Statistics show that the most high risk transmission of the immunodeficiency virus has been recorded through sexual contact and through blood. And if everything is clear with the first method, then the second raises many questions - is the infection transmitted from an HIV-infected person, or in a fight?
Experts assure that the possibility of infection in such situations is extremely small. Infection requires a large amount of biological material from an infected person to enter an open cut. When the blood just got on a healed scratch, then the probability of infection is reduced to 1 in 1000. HIV infection during external environment dies after a few minutes. Slightly more likely to be infected through dried blood - HIV can live in it for up to several weeks.
Another topical question: what to do when the blood of an infected person gets into the eye? This often happens with . Experts say that the probability of infection is 0.1%. In this case, immediately rinse the eyes with clean distilled water.
Is HIV transmitted in everyday life through personal hygiene items
Potential sources of infection with the immunodeficiency virus can be personal hygiene items when they are used by several people. Such items include a toothbrush, a razor, manicure accessories.
One of FAQ: can you get HIV through a razor? Yes, there is such an option. The virus can be transmitted through blood when sharing a razor. Shaving often leaves blood droplets on the machine, which are very likely to get into microtraumas of an uninfected person.
The same applies to a toothbrush - when there are fresh wounds in the oral cavity, and droplets of the blood of a patient with HIV infection remain on the villi of the brush, then the risk of infection is very high.
How HIV is not transmitted
The immunodeficiency virus quickly dies in the air, barely leaving the carrier's body, especially when heated and dried. It is almost impossible to become infected with HIV in everyday life. So, you can not "pick up" the virus in the following cases:
- in a public toilet, swimming pool, bath;
- eating from common dishes (there is a small concentration of the virus in saliva, so do not be afraid to eat food from the same plate, you will not get sick);
- smoking one cigarette for two;
- you cannot “catch an infection” from the bite of an animal or a blood-sucking insect - there is not a single recorded case of such infection;
There are no circumstances when people get AIDS! , which develops after a long (sometimes many years) existence of the immunodeficiency virus in the human body. AIDS can be reached if the HIV infection is not treated. But it is impossible to get infected with immunodeficiency syndrome.
Is HIV transmitted by shaking hands or hugging?
Medical workers are convinced that HIV is not transmitted in these ways. However, it is theoretically possible to become infected through a handshake or hug - for example, when both the carrier and a healthy person have fresh bleeding wounds on their palms. However, in this case, the probability of infection is not too high.
Can HIV be transmitted through the air?
Medical practice does not know cases of HIV infection by the above method. Do not be afraid when an infected person coughs and sneezes near you, the probability of transmitting the virus in these cases is zero. In the air, under the influence of oxygen, it dies almost immediately.
Is it possible to become infected with HIV by accidental contact with saliva, sweat, tears or urine of a patient?
In these substances, the concentration of the virus is extremely small - it is not enough for infection. Even if a large amount of urine, blood, tears, sweat of an infected person gets on intact skin, the defeat will also be impossible.
Is there a risk of contracting AIDS in public baths and swimming pools?
It is impossible to become infected with the virus through water, because it does not live for a long time in the liquid. In the sauna and in the bath, the virus quickly dies in conditions of high humidity and temperature.
What is the likelihood of contracting HIV from mosquito and other insect bites?
The fact that mosquitoes carry HIV is nothing more than a terrible, unsubstantiated myth. Multiple studies have proven that mosquitoes cannot be carriers of the immunodeficiency virus.
So, it is almost impossible to become infected with the immune deficiency virus at home. To prevent the rarest cases of infection, certain measures must be observed:
- carefully ensure that the biological material of the carrier of the virus does not get on the injured skin or;
- do not allow anyone to use personal hygiene products;
- monitor the sterility of piercing and cutting objects (scissors, manicure devices, knives).
Shaving is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to deal with unwanted hair. Despite the fact that after shaving the skin does not remain smooth for long, as well as various side effects like irritated, cut, flaky, and dry skin, many people resort to shaving when they don't have the time or money to go to a salon to get an epilation, or basically only use this type of hair removal.
However, shaving is not as safe as it might seem at first glance. Using a razor like nothing else increases your risk of bringing the following infections into the body (even if you use a razor carefully, there are still micro-cuts on the skin, which are enough for infection to enter the bloodstream).
Hepatitis
Even if you don’t lend your razor to anyone and never use someone else’s, there are a large number of various bacteria and viruses on the razor blade. The most dangerous of them is the causative agent of hepatitis. Never borrow a razor from anyone or lend your own. Even if a person does not have hepatitis, he can be a carrier of the virus. His immune system may be strong enough to suppress the hepatitis virus and prevent the disease from developing. However, no one can guarantee that if the pathogen enters your body, this will not lead to the onset of the disease. Wash your razor thoroughly with hot water after each use and before use directly, or wipe the blades with alcohol. Keep clean those areas of the skin that have been shaved with a razor, because. microscopic cuts left after shaving do not heal immediately. Wash your hands thoroughly after visiting public places, streets, public transport. Any touch with dirty hands on freshly shaved skin can lead to infection with hepatitis.
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus is a very "tenacious" and "sticky" infection. To prevent staph infection, blades should be changed as often as possible, and thoroughly disinfected before each use. Ideally, soak the blades in alcohol or other disinfectant for a few minutes. Staphylococcus is treated for a very long time and manifests itself in the form of very painful symptoms: severe redness, burning sensation, abscesses, severe itching. It should also be noted here that by combing itchy places with dirty hands, you run the risk of introducing this infection into the body, so keep your hands clean, and ideally try not to itch at all, but use soothing balms based on aloe or tea tree.
fungal infection
If your blades are constantly damp or stored in a very damp room, and if you don't wash or dry your blades thoroughly after use, they are a great breeding ground for fungi, especially ringworm, folliculitis, and candidiasis. In particular, the deep bikini zone in women is susceptible to infection with such fungi, so you should completely avoid shaving in such a delicate place, and choose a less dangerous type of hair removal.
When using other people's razors, as well as shaving brushes, alum stones, towels, you can become infected with infections that are transmitted through the blood. First of all we are talking about viral hepatitis B and C. Also, when using someone else's machine, in an unfortunate set of circumstances, you can become infected with HIV and other infections.
Hepatitis B and C viruses are highly resistant in the external environment. They retain the ability to infect a person for days and weeks after contact with contaminated blood on environmental objects, including razors. Hepatitis viruses, especially hepatitis B, are highly contagious. This means that a small amount of infected blood is sufficient for infection.
The hepatitis B virus is 1000 times more contagious than HIV. For infection, a sufficient amount of blood is not visible to the naked eye. Hepatitis B and C are dangerous infectious diseases. The first can proceed at lightning speed and lead to the death of a person. Hepatitis B and C can also occur in chronic form lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Please note that the source of infection can be not only other people's blades and machines, on which blood can remain after shaving. A potential source of infection can be a shaving brush, alum stone or alunite, someone else's towel. If a shaving brush or a towel is quite easy to disinfect, then alunite cannot be disinfected.
Run from barbers who don't sanitize tools, use one alunite stone for all clients, or share a towel
It is a mistake to assume that alunite is not dangerous, since it itself has antimicrobial properties. Alum stone does have a mild antibacterial effect, but it has no effect on hepatitis viruses. Keep this in mind when visiting a barbershop.
How to Disinfect a Metal T-Bar or Straight Razor
If you plan to use a used straight razor or tash at home, sanitize and wash it before use.
Disinfection or decontamination is the treatment of an object, for example, a razor, during which pathogens of infectious diseases are destroyed.
The easiest and cheapest way to disinfect metal machines and straight razors. To do this, it is enough to boil them in a solution of baking soda 2% for 15 minutes. Proceed like this:
- Dissolve 20 grams of baking soda in 1 liter of tap water. Use a metal bowl with a lid. If there is no kitchen scale at home, add a tablespoon of soda to 1 liter of water.
- Put a disassembled machine or an open razor in a container and place it on a gas or electric stove.
- After boiling the solution, note the time. After 15 minutes from the moment of boiling, remove the container from the stove. If there is no baking soda at home, increase the boil time to 30 minutes.
After cooling, wash the machine or straight razor with soap. Please note: first, the item must be disinfected, that is, boiled, and only then it can be washed. After boiling a metal object in soda, a white coating forms on the surface. It is easily removed by washing the razor in soapy water.
In such containers, the instrument is boiled in medical institutions. At home, you can use any pan with a lid.
pay attention to important nuance. To disinfect a straight razor, it is not enough to disassemble it and boil only the blade (blade). Remains of the previous owner's blood may be on and inside the handle. With an unfortunate set of circumstances, this may be enough for infection with viral hepatitis.
The method of disinfection by boiling is regulated by OST 42-21-2-85 “Sterilization and disinfection of medical devices”, table 9.
How to Disinfect a Machine or T-Shape Razor with Plastic or Wood Handles
Often there are dangerous and safety razors, the parts of which are made of heat-labile materials, such as plastic. It is undesirable to boil such objects, since under the influence of high temperature they can be deformed.
In this case, you can disinfect the razor with chemical substances or disinfectant solutions. The most famous example of a disinfectant solution is bleach or bleach. Other chlorine-containing preparations are also used.
A solution of bleach and other disinfectants containing chlorine should not be used to disinfect straight razors and classic machines. Substances of this type cause corrosion of metal objects.
To disinfect razors and machines, use disinfectants that do not contain chlorine. Here are some examples:
- Hydrogen peroxide 6%. Exposure time - 1 hour. The machine or razor must be completely immersed in the solution. Please note that with a solution of hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 6%, you need to work with latex gloves. Peroxide in this concentration causes burns to the skin and mucous membranes. You need to store the solution in locked cabinets, and hide the keys from children. You can buy hydrogen peroxide 6% in the prescription departments of pharmacies.
- Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium. It is part of various disinfectants, for example, "Katapav", "Barbicide". The exposure time and method of preparing the solution, read the instructions for a specific drug.
- Other drugs with a complex composition. Disinfectants "Lysoformin", "Aniozyme", "Alaminol", "Mistral" and others are used in medical institutions. For exposure time and method of preparation, see the product instructions.
All the proposed means, except for hydrogen peroxide, have significant disadvantage. It is advantageous to use them in medical institutions where disinfection is performed daily on the stream. For the sake of disinfecting one razor or machine at home, buying such solutions is not financially feasible.
On the other hand, the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis is much more expensive than disinfectant solution. Therefore, if it is impossible to disinfect the razor by boiling, it is worth buying a disinfectant.
Hydrogen peroxide 6%
Hydrogen peroxide 6% has two important shortcomings. First, it has a limited and very short shelf life. After the expiration date, the solution loses its effectiveness. Secondly, you can not buy hydrogen peroxide of the required concentration in every pharmacy.
Please note that hydrogen peroxide 3%, which is sold everywhere, is not effective in disinfecting razors.
All disinfectants, including hydrogen peroxide 6%, have another drawback. Their safe and effective use requires special training. In medical institutions, the instrument is disinfected by specialists with a secondary medical education.
At home, a person without preparation may incorrectly prepare the solution or disrupt the exposure time. Because of this, the machine or razor will be potentially dangerous in terms of possible infection with viral hepatitis.
Also, the use of disinfectants can worsen the appearance of some accessories. For example, machines with wooden handles without a protective varnish can be stained with a colored solution. Therefore, for wooden machines it is better to use hydrogen peroxide 6%. Remember, your health and safety is more important than ever. appearance machine.
Is it possible to disinfect a razor with alcohol or vodka
IN normative document OST 42-21-2-85 “Sterilization and disinfection of medical devices” in the list of chemical disinfection methods (table 9) ethyl alcohol is absent. That is, in medical institutions for the disinfection of medical devices, alcohol in any concentration is not used.
However, ethyl alcohol has disinfecting properties. It denatures (breaks down) proteins and dissolves lipids. Due to this, alcohol effectively destroys some bacteria and viruses. This substance is ineffective against spore-forming bacteria.
Please note that alcohol destroys SOME bacteria and viruses. That is, some microorganisms are insensitive to the effects of ethyl alcohol.
Alcohol most effectively affects microorganisms when the concentration of the solution is about 70%. At a concentration of 40%, it is ineffective, so vodka and others alcoholic drinks should not be considered as disinfectants.
Ethyl alcohol is suitable for external use and preparation of dosage forms. Use for disinfection or ingestion is not recommended
Alcohol as a disinfectant has another drawback. This substance quickly evaporates from surfaces. Therefore, wiping the instrument with cotton soaked in alcohol does not make sense. The active substance evaporates before it affects microorganisms.
For the alcohol to work, the tool, such as a razor, must be completely immersed in the solution. That is, to disinfect one razor, you need to spend at least 100 grams of alcohol. This is not financially feasible.
The main question is: can alcohol be expected to effectively disinfect a used razor or t-bar? Answer: Medical regulations do not provide for the use of alcohol to disinfect instruments.
How to disinfect a shaving brush
Shaving brushes need to be disinfected, because during use, blood from microcuts gets on the pile and remains on it. Therefore, masters in barbershops are obliged to disinfect shaving brushes after each use. Usually a barbicide is used for disinfection.
There is no adequate substitute for a barbicide for disinfecting a shaving brush at home. The brush must not be boiled heat most likely damage the handle. Therefore, if you cannot do without the use of a used brush, purchase a barbicide and disinfect the brush according to the instructions for use of the drug.
And if the razor just lie down
There is no way in medical regulations to disinfect instruments with time. However, it is well known that many bacteria and viruses outside the body quickly lose their ability to infect humans and die.
As noted above, hepatitis B and C viruses in the external environment retain the ability to infect for days and weeks. Does this mean that a used razor can be used without disinfection if it has been lying on the shelf for six months or a year? This is not a medical issue.
What is HIV infection and AIDS: what is the difference?
By nature, each person has a special protective mechanism - immunity. Through this mechanism, immune cells produce antibodies that resist foreign microorganisms. After antigens or viruses enter the body, lymphocytes begin to function actively. These cells recognize the "enemy" and destroy it. This is how immunity works.
However, when the HIV virus enters the body, the protective barrier of the immune system is destroyed, as a result of which a person may even die some time after infection occurs. Those. with HIV infection, a person lives with virtually no immunity to viruses and diseases.
Now there are such cases when people with HIV were able to live for about 30 years, because the infection itself, in fact, is considered a “slow” virus. Its symptoms can manifest themselves after 10 years or more. Consequently, a person may not even be aware of what is happening to his body and health.
After the virus enters the body, its cells attach to blood cells and spread through them throughout the body, while infecting the lymphatic system, since it is in lymph nodes immune cells are located in large numbers.
The immune system cannot adequately respond to foreign body attacks because it does not recognize the virus. Because of this, HIV gradually kills the immune system and its cells.
And after their number of immune cells becomes significantly smaller, the virus develops into AIDS.
HIV cells in the blood
How is HIV different from AIDS? Let's try to understand this in more detail.
Many people do not even know how HIV infection differs from AIDS. There are those who claim that this is one disease, but they are wrong. These two diseases are very different from each other. If the HIV virus is treated in time, AIDS can, of course, be avoided.
To begin with, you must know how these abbreviations are deciphered. So:
- HIV infection is deciphered as follows - human immunodeficiency virus
- AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
HIV and AIDS
HIV infection, like many viral diseases, tends to proceed in several stages:
- Initial stage. Infection in its own symptoms is very similar to the common flu
- Second stage. Symptoms and manifestations disappear. At this stage, you can find out whether the virus is present in the body or not, you can find out only after donating blood.
- Third stage. Decreased immunity. This stage, as a rule, occurs several years after the penetration of the virus into the human blood.
- Fourth stage. HIV develops into AIDS. During this state, the human immune system is completely destroyed.
What is the essence of the destructive effect of HIV on the human body?
During the period of the disease, when the virus is fully introduced into the patient's body, a person feels unwell, resembling the flu. In the subsequent stages, unless, of course, preventive measures are taken, inflammation of the lymph nodes occurs.
The destructive effect of HIV
Since HIV has a negative impact on the body, there is a gradual decrease in the performance of each organism.
- Inflamed lungs, the entire respiratory system
- The efficiency of digestion and all organs of this system is disturbed
- Decreased protective functions of the skin and mucous membranes
- Weakens the musculoskeletal system
HIV also has a negative effect on the nervous system. From the very beginning, inflammation of neurons and dendrites occurs. Because of what pains can amplify. In the final stages, pathogens affect the cells of the brain - a person becomes demented, his coordination is disturbed, his vision is reduced.
How to get infected with HIV - what you can do: ways of infection
Let's reassure you right away - the infected dose of HIV is very high. What does this mean? You can only become infected if there is a huge amount of the agent of infection.
Only some fluids are capable of becoming a transmitter of this disease. In order for the virus to be transmitted, the fluid must come into direct contact with injured tissue and mucosa, or penetrate directly into the blood. The mucosa, which is most susceptible to infection, is located in the intestines, vagina, and also in the oral cavity.
Typically, HIV is transmitted in the following ways:
- Through sexual intercourse
- Through a blood transfusion
- Through injections that were administered intravenously
- From pregnant woman to fetus or child born
- Through an accidental injection with an infected syringe
Ways of getting HIV
There are some factors that greatly increase the risk of contracting HIV. These include:
- The presence of a disease that is transmitted through an intimate relationship
- HIV virus titer
- The presence of small cracks, sores, erosion on the cervix
- Sexual intercourse through the anal passage for the recipient
- Females have a significantly higher risk
Is it possible to get HIV through saliva with a kiss, yelling, at the dentist, with a manicure, a scratch, a wound, a mosquito bite, a razor?
Let's see how likely it is to contract a dangerous disease through various contacts and in different situations:
Oral connection:
- With such sexual intercourse, the likelihood of infection is very small. For example, blowjobs have a 0.03% chance of getting infected.
- But this is only if there are open wounds in the woman's oral cavity.
- With cunnilingus, the risk of infection is lowest if there are no wounds in the man's mouth, since saliva cannot contain virus cells
- Doctors say that during a kiss it is impossible to contract HIV infection. Saliva, as we wrote a little higher, cannot contain virus cells. During a kiss, the risk of infection is almost zero.
- But you should know that the disease tends to be transmitted through the blood. Therefore, if both partners have damage on the lips or in the mouth, the chance increases significantly
Mosquito bite:
At the dentist:
- Such cases have never been recorded. We all know how HIV can be transmitted. In the blood, the cells of the virus live perfectly, but outside the human body they die very quickly.
- Disinfection of each instrument, their sterilization in a special cabinet, plus dentist's gloves provide a full guarantee that live pests are completely absent and there is no possibility of transmitting a deadly disease.
With proper sterilization, HIV infection is excluded
For manicure:
- Do not be afraid that you can become infected with the HIV virus during a manicure. Molecules of this disease quickly die in the open air, and instruments are sterilized in front of each client.
- In all the practice of manicure, there has never been a case of a virus being transmitted precisely during this process.
Through a razor, wounds, scratches
Infection with HIV through a razor is minimal. But through wounds, scratches and cracks, the cells of the virus, of course, can enter the body.
Is it possible to get HIV if there was unprotected contact 1 time?
You have had sexual intercourse with an infected person, then the consequences can be terrible. The likelihood of contracting this disease in this case is quite high. But most often, infection with the virus occurs during a blood transfusion or through breast milk.
With one unprotected sexual contact, there is a risk of infection, but it is minimal
Scientists say that the risk of contracting the disease after a single unprotected intercourse is still minimal. But never risk it. If you do not have factors that can increase the chance of infection, then the probability is only 1%. But in the presence of abrasions, inflammatory processes of the mucous membrane, as well as during menstruation, the risk increases significantly.
How long does the HIV virus live outside the body, in the air, at what temperature does it die?
The cells of the virus are unstable and live outside the human body for a short time. Most scientists are arguing about how long the virus lives in normal living conditions. Some say that disease cells can survive for hours. And there are those who prove that HIV in the open air is active only for a few minutes.
Another thing is when HIV is found together with DNA (in human blood, in semen). In this case, several factors influence the life expectancy. For example, the number of DNA or the temperature regime of the external environment. Under ideal conditions and a stable temperature, virus cells can live up to 2 days. Consequently, non-sterile instruments of a surgeon, dentist and manicurist, on which there are remnants of infected blood, can infect a healthy person within a few days.
Now let's figure out at what temperature the virus can die. HIV does not resist elevated temperatures. Disease cells die if they are heated for 30 minutes. at temperatures of 56°C or more. But this indicator is not considered critical, because the most stable particles will live and begin to revive again.
If we take the virus as it is present in the blood, then the destruction of the virus takes a longer period of time. The disease has a protein coat, and therefore can die completely only at 60 ° C. If the cells of the virus are kept at this temperature regime about 40 minutes, they will finally die.
How long do people and children with HIV live with and without treatment?
HIV is a very serious and dangerous disease. But it is impossible to know exactly how long an HIV-infected person can live. There isn't even any sample data. Since each human body is considered individual. Some patients die after the disease after 5 years, and there are those who live for more than 10 years.
The life of an HIV-infected
The life expectancy of the patient cannot be precisely named for many reasons:
- First, many of the first infected people live to this day. That is approximately 30 years. But this period is not the limit. How long the patient can live, only time can show.
- Secondly, our medicine, as well as science, annually come up with all sorts of methods and medicines. Previously, efficient medicines that stop the growth of HIV cells. With the right drug therapy can significantly extend the life of an infected person.
- Thirdly, the period of life expectancy of the patient may depend on his rhythm and lifestyle. It is necessary to regularly check the number of T-leukocytes, introduce a healthy lifestyle, give up bad habits. With a decrease in the immune system, it is imperative to undergo appropriate therapy. Even with a slight malaise, you need to be treated.
Can HIV be treated in the early stages?
The question is whether the virus can be cured by early stage, worries many people who have already become infected. All people, without exception, must know that infection with this disease can, of course, be prevented in a short time. For any type of contact with a liquid that has been infected, urgent prevention is needed.
That is, a person must drink special antiviral drugs to prevent infection. Treatment is carried out in a specialized medical facility, but a maximum of 24 hours should pass from the moment when HIV enters the bloodstream.
If we talk about the therapy of this disease, then it is aimed only at reducing the reproduction of the disease and prolonging the life of the patient. A person can live normally, like everyone else, thanks to special medications that prevent the virus from developing.
Do they take to the army, do they give disability with HIV infection?
During the passage medical commission in the military registration and enlistment office, each conscript is given referrals for testing. The main one is a blood test to detect HIV infection. The result of this analysis is examined in the military registration and enlistment office itself. Therefore, according to him, a conclusion is made - to take the guy to the service or not.
IMPORTANT: A patient with HIV infection belongs to category D. That is, he is generally excluded from the list of possible recruits for the rest of his life.
As for disability, it is issued to the patient only if his state of health deteriorates greatly. This mainly applies to those patients who have an acute stage with the presence of a secondary disease.
What should be done to reduce the risk of HIV infection?
If you want to avoid contracting this disease, you should follow some precautions:
- Always use protection during intercourse. This is especially true if you still do not know your partner well and are not sure about him.
- Never use drugs with a needle. And in general, give up this bad habit. Thus, you generally eliminate the risk of infection, since drugs, moreover, poison the human body.
- Do not drink alcohol, as it is under the influence of alcohol that a person can do all kinds of stupid things, for example, enter into an intimate relationship with a stranger.
- Go in for sports, use only healthy foods. This way you can strengthen your own immune system. And if your immunity is strong, then the chance of contracting the disease will be minimal.
Criminal liability for infecting a person with HIV infection
Infection with HIV is dangerous and can threaten other people. Many infected people understand this, therefore, they reduce their own contacts to the smallest, so as not to become a peddler of a focus of a new infection.
- Knowingly placing a second person at risk of infection is punished as follows - a person is deprived of liberty for a period of up to 3 years, or he is arrested for a period of 3 to 6 months, or a person is deprived of liberty for a period of up to 1 year.
- Infection of a second person by a person who knew about his illness is punished as follows - a person is imprisoned for up to 5 years.
- An act that was committed by 2 or more persons, or was committed in relation to a minor, is punished as follows - people are deprived of their liberty for up to 8 years.
- Infection of a second person due to improper performance by a person of his own professional duties is punishable as follows - a person is deprived of liberty for up to 5 years. He also loses the right to hold a particular position, as well as to hold a specific position for 3 years.
A person who infected another person who did not know about his illness is not criminally punished. Criminal liability is assigned only when such an act was intentional.
How long can HIV live outside the body
How long does the HIV virus live in the external environment? Research is being carried out by scientists using virus concentrations 100,000 times higher than those found in nature. With their use, HIV remains alive for 1-3 days from the moment of drying of the biological fluid (sperm, blood, vaginal secretions).
The resistance of the virus in natural concentration is much less - it is not able to live up to 3 days outside the human body. The period of his "life" is reduced" to just a few minutes. If it were more stable in natural concentrations, then in practice there would be situations of domestic infection.
The inability of HIV to live outside the human body prevents infection by:
- clothing,
- towels
- furniture,
- food,
- personal hygiene products.
Survival Factors
How long HIV lives outside the body is determined by the temperature regime of the environment and the volume of the virus in the biological fluid (viral load). Studies conducted in laboratories have shown that the virus in the highest concentration (100,000 times higher than natural) remains viable for 3 days, provided that the temperature is stable and the humidity is optimal. However, they cannot be reproduced in the natural environment without special instruments and equipment!
open environment
Studies have shown that HIV in artificial concentration dies in the open air in the amount of 90-99% in a few hours. In theory, the transmission of the virus in its natural state outside the human body is not only slow, it reaches zero.
No carrier of the immunodeficiency virus has been infected through contact with any surface, ingestion of food or water. "Fragile" HIV instantly dies when exposed to hot (even warm!) Water, soap and disinfectants, alcohol (alcohol solution).
HIV dies after a few minutes if it enters the water along with the biological fluid, even under conditions of high viral load, which makes it impossible to infect the virus through water or air.
HIV survives
The immunodeficiency virus lives and multiplies exclusively in certain human biological fluids - blood, vaginal secretions, breast milk, sperm. Outside the body, it is quickly deactivated, BUT in the blood prepared for transfusion, it is able to live for several years, and in the serum subjected to slow freezing, up to 10 years.
The viability of HIV contained inside a syringe or hollow needle is significantly higher. Its stability is determined by the following factors:
- the amount of blood in the needle
- humidity
- the volume of the virus
- temperature regime.
Attention! The volume of blood in the syringe depends on the parameters of the needle and the presence (lack) of its ability to draw the biological fluid inside.
Studies have shown that HIV can be contained in some needles for up to 2 days at a constant temperature. Viability of the virus decreases with time - after 2-10 days it was isolated from only 26% of the needles used during the study.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that for preventive purposes, to prevent injection infection, it must be assumed that the used syringe can contain HIV for 3-4 days (provided that it has not been sterilized!).
HIV is dying
The low contagiousness of the virus is due to its inability to exist outside the human body or without nutrient media.
HIV dies under the following conditions:
Attention! At what temperature does AIDS die? HIV contained in human blood (subject to maximum viral load) dies at a temperature of + 60 ° C and above.
The viability of the virus outside organic fluids is low, which is why among experts it is called "sissy".
The body's resistance to HIV
A whole "set" of genes in the body of living beings predetermines their resistance to various viral infections. Conducted laboratory studies on mice, rats, guinea pigs and other animals have shown that their body is resistant to HIV and infection is impossible.
Monitoring of the incidence among the US population has shown that Americans of European descent are more resistant to the virus, while Africans and Asians are susceptible to infection (their resistance indicators are almost zero).
In 1995, several American researchers discovered a substance produced in the cells of the immune system and having CD8 molecules. It has been shown to stop the reproduction and spread of HIV in the body. The protective substance is hormone-like molecules called "chemokines".
They take the form of reduced proteins that attach to receptor molecules located on immune system cells as they move towards the site of infection. Currently, research is ongoing, experts are trying to find the "gate" through which the virus enters the immune cells. This will allow us to understand which receptors chemokines interact with.
The main "culprits" of infection of the body are the CD4 and CCR5 receptor molecules. In 1996, researchers reported that the normal CCR5 receptor gene was found in 1/5 of patients. It turned out that in 3% of people who did not become infected with HIV (subject to their contact with positive patients), this receptor is altered - mutagenic.
Further examination of 2 homosexuals showed that, despite sexual contacts with infected partners, the mutagenic receptor CCR5 is formed in their cells. He is not able to interact with the virus, so infection is impossible.
However, some patients' resistance to HIV is temporary. This is observed in people who have inherited the "rescue" mutation from their parents. Some time after infection (3-4 years), the level of immune cells in these patients decreases by 5 times, which leads to the development of complications.
The highest indicator of resistance to the virus, which arose in connection with the mutation of the cells of the immune system, can be traced in representatives of the Finno-Ugric group, namely:
- Finns
- Hungarians
- mordvin,
- Estonians.
Attention! They have mutagenicity in one of the 2 paired genes reaches 16-18%, while among Africans the figure is only 1-2%.
Consequently, insects, birds, animals and other creatures (with the exception of some species of monkeys) and people in whose bodies two mutagenic genes are present at the same time remain immune to HIV. Among the residents of Moscow, about 0.6% are resistant to HIV (according to data for 012).
HIV terrorism - is it worth it to be afraid?
IN last years appeals of citizens related to “AIDS terrorism” have become more frequent, when an unknown person pricks them with syringes with infected blood in public transport, a nightclub or just on a city street and leaves a note with the phrase “Now you are the same” or “Now you are one of us ".
According to experts, infection in this way is excluded. Outside the human body, the virus quickly loses its viability, so a simple prick or even a scratch will not be enough to infect.
Is it possible to get hepatitis or HIV while visiting a barbershop? Yes, if precautions are not followed, these infections are transmitted through a razor.
Can someone else's razor cause infection
Usually, connoisseurs of classic shaving have questions about the risk of infection when buying used shaving accessories or before visiting a barbershop. Using someone else's machines or blades can really lead to infection viral hepatitis B. The risk of HIV infection is also present, but it is rather theoretical. But first things first.
Two words about viral hepatitis and HIV
Viral hepatitis is a group of infections that result in the development of diseases with a primary lesion of the liver. These ailments are grouped into two large groups. The first includes infections with the fecal-oral route of transmission. Roughly speaking, these are diseases of dirty hands and unboiled water. In the context of using shared shaving accessories, you can forget about them.
The second group includes infections with parenteral transmission. Infection occurs through blood and other body fluids. The most common and most dangerous is hepatitis B.
According to the World Health Organization, up to 0.8 million people die from this disease every year in the world. The infection is transmitted through intravenous drug use using non-sterile syringes, through unprotected sexual intercourse, and through the use of improperly processed medical instruments. WHO experts directly mention the use of infected blades when shaving.
WHO names razors among possible causes infections The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is also transmitted parenterally. WHO experts note the possibility of infection with this virus when using non-sterile needles, syringes and other sharp instruments. However, the risk of HIV infection from sharing razors is more theoretical. This is due to the low persistence of the virus outside the body and the high infectious dose. In other words, enough fresh, infected blood must enter the body to infect HIV.
Under what conditions is infection through a razor possible?
In practice, the likelihood of HIV infection when using someone else's machine is minimal. For it to be realized, a monstrous coincidence is necessary. An HIV-positive person must cut himself severely. His blood in in large numbers should stay on the razor. If a second person takes this accessory and also cuts himself badly while shaving, infection is possible. It is unlikely that someone will shave or shave with someone else's bloody client's machine.
But with viral hepatitis B, everything is not so simple. Firstly, this virus is very stable in the external environment. According to various sources, outside the human body, it retains its infective ability from several days to several months. Secondly, the virus is resistant to chemical and physical influences. Thirdly, the infectious dose of hepatitis B is very small.
To become infected when shaving, the following conditions are sufficient:
- A person must shave with someone else's razor, which was used by the carrier of the virus.
- From the moment the machine or blade is used by an infected person, not very much time should pass: from several days to several weeks.
- Sufficient amount of blood for infection should remain on the razor. Unlike HIV, there is no need for severe cuts. Externally, the razor may look clean.
- The owner of the machine or the barbershop employee must violate the rules of disinfection.
As you can see, you don't need any unrealistic coincidences to get hepatitis B.
If precautions are not followed, it is very easy to become infected through someone else's razor. What to do to avoid getting infected
The easiest way to prevent hepatitis and other infections is to use personal shaving accessories. By the way, when visiting a barbershop, you can ask an employee to use your razor and shaving brush.
Go to Barbershops You Trust Completely for Compliance preventive measures. After use, all tools, including machines and brushes, must be disinfected. For disinfection, effective disinfectants are usually used that destroy the hepatitis B virus and other infectious agents.
Please note that the human factor plays an important role here. Any specialist can make a mistake: prepare the solution incorrectly, use a stale disinfectant, or fail to withstand the exposure. Unfortunately, cases of infection of patients when using reusable instruments occur even in medical institutions.
If you purchased a used razor, disinfect it at home. When it comes to a metal accessory, it is enough to boil it in tap water within 30 minutes. After that, wash the machine thoroughly with soap and feel free to use it. But just wiping the razor with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or cologne is not enough. As noted above, the hepatitis B virus is resistant to chemical attack. Be healthy!
