Can you get an STD from fingering?

Fingering (digital vaginal penetration or digital anal penetration) is a form of sexual contact involving inserting one or more fingers into a partner’s and/or your own genitals or anus.

While fingering may not constitute full sexual intercourse, it still risks transmitting a sexually transmitted infection through skin-to-skin contact.

Most sexually transmitted infections pass between people during sex through the exchange of bodily fluids. This tends to happen during vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, and when sharing sex toys.

Infected bodily fluids come into contact with the mucous membrane (the vagina, penis, anus, throat or eyes) or an open wound like a cut or sore. Since the fingers and hands don’t have mucous membranes, fingering is considered a fairly low-risk sexual activity.

However, transmitting an STI with manual stimulation, including hand jobs and fingering, is still possible.

Here are some STIs you can get from fingering.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is the most contagious STI and is easily passed on through skin-to-skin contact. The virus causes Genital Warts and certain types of cancers. Most sexually active people will get some strain of HPV at some point in their lives.

Studies have shown that HPV can live under the fingernails of people with a Genital HPV infection. Of course, touching your own genitals and then practicing fingering will also cause cross-infection.

Herpes

Perhaps the STI you’ll most likely get from fingering is Herpes. A Herpes infection is more likely to be transmitted if an open sore is touched, whether within the anus or vagina, or if the person performing the fingering touches their own Herpes sore beforehand.

So, the virus can cross from the genitals in this way, but it can actually also infect the finger nail bed. A Herpes infection in your fingers is known as Herpetic Whitlow. Symptoms of Herpetic Whitlow include swelling and inflammation of the finger, blisters or sores on the finger, and a darker skin tone around the site of infection.

Scabies

Scabies is a parasitic infection of the skin that is commonly transmitted sexually. It spreads through sharing things like clothing and bedding, and through prolonged physical contact with an infected person. Therefore, fingering may allow the parasites to spread, given the prolonged physical contact involved.

Syphilis

Syphilis is an infection which will inoculate itself into damaged skin easily. If fingering occurs with some force, there may be some trauma to the vagina or anus. If Syphilis were present on the fingers, they could easily enter these tears.

One uncommon method of transmission for Syphilis is direct skin-to-skin contact with a Syphilitic sore causing an infection of the finger. If you finger someone with a Syphilis infection, there is a risk of contracting the infection yourself, especially if you have any cuts on your finger during the sexual act.

Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia

Some studies have suggested that men who have sex with men (MSM) can pass on a Gonorrhoea infection to the anus and rectum through fingering. This is caused by bacteria being transferred from the genitals to the anus via the fingers. This is also possible with a Chlamydia infection. Infected saliva from an infected throat may be the source of the infection, and while rimming (oral-anal sex) may be a prime route of infection, using saliva for fingering has also been implicated.

Many different people engage in fingering during their intimate encounters. If you want to try vaginal or anal fingering, there are ways to reduce your risk of contracting or spreading STIs.

Wash your hands thoroughly before engaging in any sexual activity, and before and after touching your own genitals or the genitals of your partner. In addition, you should avoid contact with any sores or open wounds.

You may also wish to use finger cots, internal condoms, and dental dams while fingering to further reduce the risk. Remember to change each of these as needed to avoid spreading body fluids.

If you think you may have an STI, it’s always better to get tested.

Call the number above to speak to one of Better2Know’s Sexual Health Advisors. They will be able to help you choose an STI clinic and STI test that’s right for you.