Hi Doc,

I had an encounter this morning as the top insertive partner. Was practicing safe sex with a condom when my partner said that latex 'irritates' him. (Allergy?) Partner claims he is 'negative' but because of the nature of our meeting, better to say 'unknown' status to look at worse case scenario.

So i take the condom off and decide to rub my penis against his ass area instead, with no intent of inserting it into his anus. And then it happens, i lose 'control' and my penis gets inserted into his ass a couple of times. (3 or 4 max) This was poor judgement but I'm certain that it happens enough in many sexual encounters.

I quickly realize what I'm doing, freak out and realize what I had done so go off to get cleaned. I did not ejaculate into him etc. I urinated to 'cleanse' myself.

So what are my chances for contracting HIV? Is this on par with a condom breaking type scenario. I think its a good question to present cause people who rub their penises on asses must 'slip' and I'm sure its a common enough situation which I haven't seen in too many Q&A's. I did not notice any blood on my penis etc.

Thanks Doctor.

Slipping in Toronto

Hi Slipping in Toronto,

"Quick anal sex" (wham-bam-thank-you-Sam!) still qualifies as anal sex! Certainly your three or four thrusts were brief, but you weren't properly "dressed" for the occasion so you did put yourself at some degree of risk for STDs, including HIV.

The estimated per-act risk for acquiring HIV from unprotected insertive anal sex with a partner confirmed to be HIV positive is 6.5 per 10,000 exposures. Your estimated statistical risk would be somewhat less, as we don't know the status of your willing bottom boy. And also your exposure was brief.

For future reference, if a partner has a latex allergy, try polyurethane condoms. They are equally effective as latex but made from an entirely different material than latex.

My advice is that you get a single HIV test at the three-month mark.

Good luck.

Dr. Bob