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What are the chances of getting Hepatitis transmitted by barber's clippers?
Hey,
I went to the barber the other day to get a haircut and the barber shaved my neck with the buzzer and it cut me. I am worried about the chances of Hepatitis being transmitted because of this. I am not sure whether they sterilized the buzzer or not and I quite anxious about this. I usually have anxiety about this kind of stuff and it eats me alive. The cut doesn't seem deep at all, when I came back home it wasn't opened. But assuming it became open by the buzzer at the time, what are the risks of this?
Thank you!
I went to the barber the other day to get a haircut and the barber shaved my neck with the buzzer and it cut me. I am worried about the chances of Hepatitis being transmitted because of this. I am not sure whether they sterilized the buzzer or not and I quite anxious about this. I usually have anxiety about this kind of stuff and it eats me alive. The cut doesn't seem deep at all, when I came back home it wasn't opened. But assuming it became open by the buzzer at the time, what are the risks of this?
Thank you!
Hep c has been contracted this way but it is very rare. I wouldn't sweat it but get the cheap anti-body test as described above for your peace of mind.
Thank you Patra for replying and with detail too. I do believe that I am worrying over nothing. However, when the time comes, I will get tested just to make sure. Again, thank you for taking the time to respond to my question!
hi and welcome to the Forum.
First, the chances of you getting Hep C that way are so small, (less than 1%, I believe), that I wouldn't stress over it.
BUT, since you are stressing, take a deep breath, exhale, relax, and wait 6 months and have a Hepatitis C Antibody test. That is the best way to make sure you don't have it.
Yes, you can test at 10 to 12 weeks, BUT IF you did DID get exposed by the buzzer and showed positive,muon would need to retest at 6 months anyway, to see if your body had fought off the virus, which happens in approximately 25% of the cases.
Anyway, at 6 months, if you test 'Negative' then you do NOT have the virus.
However, IF you test 'Positive' you still may not have the virus, as, once exposed, your blood will always show positive on an Antibody these.
The Positive only means that you should get an RNA PCR (Quant) test. That test will, definitively, tell you if you have the virus. if it comes back 'Negative' then you can relax as you do not have Hep C.
The reason for the Antibody test first is because it is a much less expensive test (about $28 in our area) and can give the Negative. The RNA PCR test costs a good deal more (I have heard from $250 - $400? depending on where you get it).
Also the reasoning behind waiting for 26 weeks (6 months) is that at that time you have a 99+% chance of getting definitive info. You can have the RNA PCR as soo as 3 or so weeks after exposure, BUT if it is positive, again you would need to repeat it to see if your body had destroyed the virus.
The very BEST thing you can do for yourself, is to QUIT WORRYING! Worry does no good, and can make you I'll, all by itself (although not from Hep C)! Just mark your calendar to have a Hep C Antiboyd test in 6 months from exposure, then forget about it until the time comes and get on with your life.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
pat
First, the chances of you getting Hep C that way are so small, (less than 1%, I believe), that I wouldn't stress over it.
BUT, since you are stressing, take a deep breath, exhale, relax, and wait 6 months and have a Hepatitis C Antibody test. That is the best way to make sure you don't have it.
Yes, you can test at 10 to 12 weeks, BUT IF you did DID get exposed by the buzzer and showed positive,muon would need to retest at 6 months anyway, to see if your body had fought off the virus, which happens in approximately 25% of the cases.
Anyway, at 6 months, if you test 'Negative' then you do NOT have the virus.
However, IF you test 'Positive' you still may not have the virus, as, once exposed, your blood will always show positive on an Antibody these.
The Positive only means that you should get an RNA PCR (Quant) test. That test will, definitively, tell you if you have the virus. if it comes back 'Negative' then you can relax as you do not have Hep C.
The reason for the Antibody test first is because it is a much less expensive test (about $28 in our area) and can give the Negative. The RNA PCR test costs a good deal more (I have heard from $250 - $400? depending on where you get it).
Also the reasoning behind waiting for 26 weeks (6 months) is that at that time you have a 99+% chance of getting definitive info. You can have the RNA PCR as soo as 3 or so weeks after exposure, BUT if it is positive, again you would need to repeat it to see if your body had destroyed the virus.
The very BEST thing you can do for yourself, is to QUIT WORRYING! Worry does no good, and can make you I'll, all by itself (although not from Hep C)! Just mark your calendar to have a Hep C Antiboyd test in 6 months from exposure, then forget about it until the time comes and get on with your life.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
pat
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