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What Do Dry And Flaky Skin In The Pubic Area Indicate?

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Posted on Fri, 10 Mar 2017
Question: Hi Dr,

How are you going?
I have a few questions about dry skin from pubic hair. If dry/flakey skin from pubic hair falls on everyday objects such as plastic wrapped around chocolate, what is the likelihood of those germs contaminating and causing harm to everyday objects such as laptop, door handles etc if I've forgotten to wash my hands after touching dry skin that fell on my chocolate wrapper? Will it spread and become contagious?

Thank you for your help
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (46 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

I am not sure that I understand how dry skin cells from the pubic hair area would get on a plastic wrapper.

Most sexually transmitted diseases require direct contact with another person rather than surviving on inanimate surfaces.

Does that answer your question?




Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (8 minutes later)
Hi Dr,

I live in a small apartment, therefore I have to leave my groceries in my room. I was changing my undies and I forgot that I was directly above the chocolate wrapped in plastic which was unintentional. I was wondering if those germs from dry pubic skin have a chance to survive on plastic and spread to everyday objects which I touched after such as the door handle, laptop or stationery if I have forgotten to wash my hands afterwards

Thank you
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (10 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
This will not cause problems.

Detailed Answer:
Oh, ok, now I understand.

No, there is nothing to worry about. The bacteria on your skin in the area of your pubic hair would not be more harmful if ingested than that of skin elsewhere. You will be fine. No worries.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)
Thank you for your prompt reply Dr !!

So just to clarify, dust particles / dry skin from the female pubic hair region poses no risk if fallen on the plastic chocolate wrapper and I proceeded to eat the chocolate straight after? What if it was dried discharge? Will the risk be the same as dried skin?

Also what is the likelihood of germs transferring from the plastic wrapper which had dust particles from the pubic region to door handles or the laptop which I touched straight after? Will I get sick? Are the surfaces contaminated?

Have a good day!!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (38 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
This will not pose a risk to yourself. If you are a healthy person with a normal immune system, this will not be an issue. Contact with cells from your own pubic region does not pose a risk to your health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (41 minutes later)
Thanks for your reply!

What if the chocolates were shared with others?
Since I have forgotten to wash my hands after contact with contact cells from the pubic region, I went and did some shopping.

Is it likely that those contact cells will infect the products I purchased? Will those germs survive/ or are they contagious?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (3 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
Unless you have a contagious disease, they will not cause problems.

Common non-pathogenic skin bacteria will not cause harm, and they are unlikely to survive for long on inanimate surfaces.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (29 minutes later)
How long will that bacteria survive? Can I recontaminate an object that I purchased from the grocery store? Is it dangerous to the health of others?

I just wanted to clarify that it will not cause harm even though the dust/bacteria came from pubic hair? What if I handed the door handle afterwards and my laptop and then someone came and touched those items as well, wouldn't the transfer of germs exist especially if I touched objects after coming in contact with chocolate wrapper that as you know, had pubic dust/dead skin from pubic hair?

Thank you for help again
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
Bacteria on pubic hair in a healthy person will not cause health problems for other people. There is bacteria on all of our skin - hands, arms, everywhere, and these are part of our environment without causing problems. The bacteria on pubic hair is no different.

If, however, you have a respiratory infection and sneeze into your hand and touch a surface that someone else touches, then they can get that infection. Also, if you have a gastrointestinal infection and do not wash your hands well after defecating, and if you then touch food that someone else eats, they gan get that stomach bug.

But normal skin bacteria, whether form pubic hair or not, is not a serious problem.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (56 minutes later)
Thank you for the info again!

What if the current situation was still applied but instead of pubic dust/dry skin, it was dried discharge? What are the risk associated? Will it affect others?

I just wanted to verify, what does pubic dried skin look like? Does it resemble a very very tiny white dot which is quite difficult to see. Why do we get this?

Thank you again!!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (4 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
I'm not sure what you are describing with a tiny white dot.

Women produce discharge from their vaginas mostly composed of cervical mucus, and there are glands in the external genitalia that produce a waxy secretion.

All skin that is in contact with the external environment have some microorganisms, but in a healthy individual, these will not cause a problem


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (19 minutes later)
I was trying to describe dry skin/dust from the pubic region.

What does dry skin look like?? Is it similar to a tiny spec??

So if someone came in contact with dried discharge and then began touching inanimate objects, not washing their hands, are they likely to transmit germs/diseases? is it contagious ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (3 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
No, not contagious.

Dry skin from pubic hair would look like dry skin anywhere else, such as on your legs.

Vaginal discharge is not the same thing as dry skin. It will vary depending on the time of month in a woman's cycle and her age.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (5 minutes later)
When you scratch dry skin, does it produce little white dots? Or is that flakey skin?

What does discharge look like during each time of the month?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (13 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
The outer layer of the epidermis of the skin, when dried up and shed, can look like small flakes, and, I suppose if very small, like the white dots you are describing.

If a woman has a 28 day cycle, and counting the first day of menstruation as day 1, it would go approximately like this:

Week 1: bleeding, then sometimes a brown discharge or dried blood, and then there may be no discharge at all, or just the waxy substance produced by the glands.

Week 2: increasing clear mucus, usually most around day 14

Week 3: After ovulation at around day 12-16, there may be some whitish thicker secretions, then secretions may become drier again

Week 4: like week 3, may vary at end of week 4 prior to period


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (5 minutes later)
So it looks kind of similar to dandruff but not in that great amount and it's small?

Thank you for the info :)

doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (8 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
Yes, it would look similar to dandruff.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (7 minutes later)
Thank you very much for your help Dr!!

I really appreciate it so much!!!

Have a lovely remainder of the day!!!

God Bless!!

I may contact you if I require any medical advice in the next 2 days
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (6 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Your welcome!

Detailed Answer:
Glad if I can help.

Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3134 Questions

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What Do Dry And Flaky Skin In The Pubic Area Indicate?

Brief Answer: Information Detailed Answer: Hello, I am not sure that I understand how dry skin cells from the pubic hair area would get on a plastic wrapper. Most sexually transmitted diseases require direct contact with another person rather than surviving on inanimate surfaces. Does that answer your question?