U.S. doctors online nowAsk doctors free
New York, NY
A 32-year-old male asked:

Can you get herpes from someone by shaking their hands after they've touched their mouth. i wash my hands before touching other places within 1hr?

1 doctor answer4 doctors weighed in
Dr. J. Lawrence Dohan
Dermatology 59 years experience
No: Most adults already have type1 herpes anyway, but are not aware of it. If you already have it you cannot catch it. It is not spread this way either.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Related questions

A 23-year-old male asked:
I have had a cold sore for about 4 to 5 days. It's dried out, but i masturbated and used saliva. I did wash my hands before hand. Can I get genital herpes?
Dr. Hunter Handsfield
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
People with longstanding herpes are immune to new infection with the same virus type they already have, and therefore almost never self-transfer infec... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 28-year-old male asked:
What is the chance of catching herpes or any std if someone scratches back of your hand by his finger nail during playing basketball? I suspect that person might have touched his mouth during the game?
Dr. Kelly Murphy
Emergency Medicine 6 years experience
HSV1 and HSV2 (the ones that cause oral and genital herpes) typically spread through contact with broken mucous membranes (such as lips/gums and genit... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
View all answers
A 24-year-old female asked:
I have a tic in the corner of my mouth and sometimes shaking hands when i get nervous around people. I get nervous a lot. Is there a way to stop this?
Dr. Adolfo Ramirez-zamora
Neurology 15 years experience
Yes, : Treatment depends in the nature of your tic and include medication or behavioral therapy depending in the severity of your symptoms.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 25-year-old female asked:
I used the restroom and then accidentally touched my mouth before washing my hands. What are the chances I spread my genital herpes to my mouth?
Dr. Hunter Handsfield
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
No risk at all. People with HSV are immune to new infections with the same HSV type they already have. They almost never transfer the infection to dif... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 27-year-old male asked:
Can I get herpes from saliva? An escort spit on my penis as a lubricant and gave me a hand job but her mouth did not touch my penis?
Dr. David Duncan m.d.
Family Medicine 44 years experience
It’s possible but unlikely. Does she have Herpes? If she does, she would likely have a relatively dose of virus in her saliva. Keep a close eye for ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Jun 20, 2021

Disclaimer:

Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.