Another Haircut Incidence

Living With Hep B
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Hello everyone, I need your expert opinions on/if there is any possibility of transmission here… I went to have my haircut yesterday, I went there with my clipper, the barber used their hair brush to brush my hair as he was cutting, I was having a low {buzz} cut… Is there any transmission risk with them using their hair brush to brush my hair in the cutting process? @john.tavis @ThomasTu @Bansah1

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This seems like an extremely low risk situation to me. Transmission would require the barber to have cut the hair of an HBV+ person, draw some blood from them (like pulling out some hair by the roots or nicking them with the clipper), getting the brush in direct contact with the wound, not cleaning the brush before cutting your hair, and putting the trace level of blood on the comb directly against a cut in your scalp. Theoretically possible, I suppose, but remarkably unlikely.

John.

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Please expand further, a transmission risk to who? If you are already infected, I don’t understand your question? I doubt there’s anything like double HBV infections. Maybe you can explain yourself some more. Overall, this mode is definitely less likely and not one of the ways HBV is transmitted. Bansah1

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I was diagnosed with hep b, presently not on treatment. I went to have my haircut with my own clipper but the barber used their own hair-brush to brush my hair as he was cutting. I was getting a low buzz cut… I’m worried if the there is a possible transmission incidence as they used their hair brush to brush my hair… @john.tavis @Bansah1 Fear of possible transmission to others because the barber used the barbershop’s hair brush to brush my hair…

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This is an extraordinarily low risk situation. I think you can put your mind at ease. Remember that barbers routinely sanitize their combs and brushes between customers, and that will reduce the already minuscule risk even further.

John.

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Thanks @john.tavis
I get easily worried with these scenarios…

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Usually, most shops sterilize these items, which reduces such risks. Unless you had a cut and there was some blood, then maybe. But if nothing like that happened, then the chances are less likely for that to cause a transmission. Have you considered learning how to cut your hair? If it will help minimize this fear. In my case, I cut my hair and can’t remember the last time I was in a barbershop. This could be something you might consider as an option if it will help lessen your concern and fears. Best, Bansah1

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This is very much to your credit! It shows a concern for other people that is sadly lacking in much of society today.

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Thank you guys! I feel much better. I will learn to self-cut going forward so these scenarios will be eliminated. Thanks! @john.tavis @Bansah1

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Hi @sam12,

My understanding is that the risk of transmission at barber shops are due to reuse of razors, which hold a risk of drawing blood (even microscopically) and transmitting on to the next customer if not appropriately disinfected. I have not heard of hairbrushing as a vector and I don’t think there’s any reports on this.

I also haven’t been at a barbershop (or had a haircut) for 9 years or so - mostly to save on costs and time more than anything else. As such, I have a long ponytail now, but that may not be a solution everyone can live with :stuck_out_tongue: !

Thomas

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Thank you! @ThomasTu
I feel better…

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Hello @sam12

There’s a few of us on here that have the fear of passing on HBV. You could just about say it’s a symptom.(joke)
I’m not a doctor, 40 years + as a carrier. Had husband 3 children. They were all vaccinated but i became pregnant before he was vaccinated.
I fight those intrusive thoughts otherwise the thoughts grow and grow and affect my mental health.
I also cut my own hair, utube videos, because in Australia it’s so expensive. And I get the same result with out leaving home.
Thanks for sharing guys, I thought I was a the only one :rofl:

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I actually agree that it is a symptom, or at least a huge impact of hepatitis B. It indeed is one of the arguments we made in a paper arguing that more people should be given the choice to be treated (links here: Evidence underlying expanding HBV treatment guidelines).

Essentially, by pairing up treatment with the message “if you’ve got an undetectable level of HBV DNA, there is negligible risk of transmitting infection”, then you relieve a lot of these anxieties and suffering. We know that it had worked with HIV and it should work also with HBV.

Thomas

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Thanks for the support work that you do, @Caraline! Great that you have been able provide help to the people that need it.

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I wish that someone would have explained to me earlier the relationship between viral load and risk of infection. When I first started treatment with tenofovir, the doctor never told me this, and it wasn’t until I moved to the US and established care with a new hepatologist that he explained to me that risk of transmission is negligible when on antivirals. I do think that knowing about this earlier would have saved me a lot of anxiety. I agree with you that people should be offered treatment to lower viral load, even when liver enzymes are normal if they are very worried about spreading the virus. Very grateful for this community!

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