Hep C Discussion Forum

Hi Doni,

Good question and thanks for bringing it up.  Anything that is worrying you concerning Hep C is worth starting a new topic for so please don`t hesitate to ask questions.  That`s what we`re here for! 

Hep C is a blood borne virus and can only be passed on to another person through direct `blood to blood` contact.  If you use your clippers to shave your head then there could be tiny amounts of the virus on them, but your baby would only have been at risk if the clippers had scratched her or his scalp or if she or he had an open cut or sore on her/his head which the clippers had made direct contact with for the virus to enter the bloodstream, which sounds like a highly unlikely scenario. 

The same applies to sharing toothbrushes and nailclippers and other personal hygiene items.  Hep C is actually very hard to catch or transmit in a normal domestic setting, although of course reasonable precautions should always be taken and it`s not recommended to share any of these items while infected with Hep C because the risk does exist, however small.

Here`s a factsheet about the risk factors you might like to read, from the Hep C Trust website...

http://www.hepctrust.org.uk/Living+with+Hep+C/Prevention/Prevention

To come to your next question about whether you should get rid of the clippers when you start treatment, well the same rules apply about blood to blood contact. Although even if you suspect that tiny amounts of infected blood were on them it`s perfectly possible to disinfect against Hep C with strong antiseptic or bleach as long as you use the the recommended dilution.  Here`s an article which tells you more about that and here`s a quote from it..

"..commercially available antiseptics were highly effective against the HCV-contaminated blood spots. One minute of exposure to bleach (diluted to a ratio of 1:10) was 100% effective, whereas cavicide at a similar concentration was 94% effective and ethanol (70%) eliminated HCV in 87% of blood spots. The effectiveness of these disinfectants was significantly reduced when their concentrations were reduced below recommended levels."

http://www.aidsmap.com/Hepatitis-C-virus-dried-on-inanimate-surfaces-can-remain-infectious-for-up-to-six-weeks/page/2808006/

Hope that helps put your mind at ease.  Best of luck with your treatment!