Ok well I had an incident today that just really scared me. I don't talk to many about my fears on HIV because I'm well known in my area and have a rep of fearlessness...well I can't live up to it anymore. I am a male and I am a drag queen. I am very well known in the gay community and therefore cannot talk to anyone about this.. Here is my situation, I have severe OCD about HIV. I am still a virgin and am 26, good looking and have had many offers but just can't get over my fear of HIV.

I recently bought a liquid eyeliner...it was in a package and as I took it out, the brush part was SO stiff because it was new. As I took it out it poked my hand and made me bleed. Now I worry if I could get HIV? I ask because it looks like a needle and the tip of the brush that had poked me was capped and in a package therefore no air getting in. If someone that packaged it in the facility purposely put HIV infected blood on the tip, could this be a risk for me? Here is the actual packaging and liner: http://www.walgreens.com/popups/s_image.jsp?id=prod12969&skuid=sku312969

I promise to donate last nights tips to your great foundation. I have donated before anonymously because I read your messages often and felt like it was my good karma working for me to help others. I need some insight and just someone to talk to about this. Is this an HIV risk or do you suggest counseling? I can't tell the difference (I'm sure most can't when they have OCD) Thanks and I love you for being the great person who you are.

Hi,

HIV from liquid eyeliner??? Nah, no way. If that were the case, HIV would have wiped out long ago all drag queens, Park Avenue socialites and a fair number of closeted gay Republicans. HIV does not survive very long at all outside the body. So relax and paint on those "Bette Davis Eyes," OK?

Although I'm not at all concerned about your eyeliner brush worries, I am concerned that you feel you have no one to talk to about your HIV fears. Being well known in the gay community shouldn't preclude you from having a support network, including a physician and/or psychotherapist. Medical and counseling records are strictly confidential. I'd suggest you find a gay physician in your area and establish a relationship. He or she should be able to help allay many of your fears while providing routine medical care. If needed, they can refer you confidentially to a counselor who could help you confront and conquer your OCD and irrational HIV fears. Soon you'll be able to live up to the name Felicity Fearless. To locate a gay physician in your area, check the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association's Web site (www.glma.org). There you will find a "find a provider" tab to locate someone in your area.

Thanks for your donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation (www.concertedeffort.org). And by they way, killer show last night. Carrie Bradshaw would kill for those cha-cha heels. Continue with your cosmic fabulosity but don't deny yourself quality health care just because you're famous, OK?

Be well.

Dr. Bob