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Originally Posted by Love Always Ivy
sorry nerdy premed student butting in .... but herpes simplex virus cannot be transmitted through an inanimate vector. just as you cant catch herpes from a toilet seat. its a widely known fact that to contract herpes you have to have direct mucous membrane contact with an infected, because the nature of the virus does not allow it to remain viable outside of a host environment. so in terms of catching herpes from a RIS l/s l/g or a tester from a counter, that is extremely unlikely.
and if someone tells you they contracted herpes from using a lipgloss, theyre lying to themselves.
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This is somewhat true, and herpes is spread mostly when the shedding period is asymptomatic. Over 80% of the population carries it because of this. Also, chicken pox is a form of herpes, so if youve had chicken pox, youre likely to carry some strain or another in your blood whether or not you get cold sores. Cold sores are from herpes, obviously, but not everyone gets them. Theyre highly contagious, though(much like chicken pox blisters). I think it stands to reason that info on herpes sore suppresant medication advises people not to share cosmetics or utensils, etc.
Also, people need to keep in mind the difference between sanitary and sterile. Yes, alcohol will sanitize a lipstick and kill surface germs(IF you do it correctly-- a simple spray and wipe does not cut it), but it wont kill everything throughout. A medical grade antimicrobial is the best thing to use, but it wont kill everything.
That said, you catch more germs from day to day things than you will from used cosmetics. I just dont trade/buy certain things used because I have an overactive imagination and sensitive skin. I can imagine a lipgloss wearer doing... dirty things on his/her bf/gf and then reapplying lipgloss right after. Not something I want to be a part of.
Finally, all cosmetics contain bacteria-fighting preservatives in them that eradicate most nasties within 24 hours of the last use. That little number on the side of the box that says 6, 12, 24, etc isnt exactly a when-to-toss period, more of a time when the preservatives will stop being effective in this manner. However, most products tend to keep these properties for at LEAST 2 years(mascara never holds up this long, though). The more often you use something, the more quickly the preservatives degrade, which is why testers dont hold up as well as personal products do.
Hope this helps a few people. Theres some more info on the FDA website about all this, if anyone is curious