Can You Catch Herpes From Waxing?
In short, there has never been any medically documented case of herpes being contracted from professional waxing, and typically the wax should be kept at a temperature that would be too high for the virus to survive or propagate (this applies to both wax strips and wax on a roll).
If you have noticed symptoms that you have never see before…
The first thing that you need to do is to confirm if what you have is actually herpes. You will need to do this by visiting a Doctor for a professional diagnosis.
Firstly, you may be worrying about nothing (it could just be a skin irritation from the way, for example) and an accurate diagnosis can put your mind at ease. Secondly, there are many conditions that can be confused with herpes which is why a professional analysis is important.
Genital herpes is generally only spread from direct “skin to skin” contact with an infected area. It is unlikely to contract the virus on the genitals from a Beautician because the virus dies very quickly when it is outside of the human body. The virus must make direct contact with the genital area in order to be transmitted to this location.
Bikini waxing is normally done using a fresh strip of wax each time (not re-useable) so this makes transmission via the wax itself highly unlikely.
If the person performing the wax did not wear gloves and has Herpes Whitlow (finger herpes) then it could be possible for the virus to be spread via their fingers, or, if they had a cold sore and touched their face immediately before touching your genitals. These are two scenarios that are unlikely but theoretically possible.
Another alternative that is more common is that a bikini wax could cause trauma to the skin which could “trigger” a herpes outbreak. It is possible for an herpes outbreak to occur months or even years after becoming infected, particularly if something aggravates the virus, such as trauma to the affected area or if your immune system is running low.
In addition to this, there have been cases where the herpes virus has been transmitted through sharing the same razor blade for shaving. Proper hygene is always recommended and care should be taken not to share any inanimate objects that may have come into direct contact with an active herpes infection (such as razors, lip gloss or sex toys).
For further research you may like to read this article: Spreading and Preventing Herpes
