Do I have a semen allergy?

[Young_cat_lady]

I use non-latex condoms during penetrative sex, so can’t link any vulval or vaginal discomfort to an allergy to my partner’s semen. However, I have noticed that if I get any of his semen on my hands or wrists and don’t wash it off soon after, I get a localised rash and the skin that made contact with the semen is very sensitive. The skin sensitivity lasts longer than the visible rash and occurs even if I wipe the semen off with a tissue and there is not obviously any semen left on my skin (this is in the case where I haven’t washed the skin with soap within half an hour). Am I allergic to my partner’s semen? If so, what can I do about it? Obviously I can just wash my hands and wrists thoroughly with soap at the moment, but if I want to have unprotected sex in the future, it will be a different story...

[Hidden]

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed account of your symptoms which suggest you may have semen contact allergy. It's uncommon, but this may be because it's under-reported. There's a good description of the condition if you Google "semen contact allergy DermnetNZ". If you live in the UK, I suggest you and your partner attend the local sexual health clinic for initial STD screening and then request referral, possibly together, to a dermatologist for skin testing using your partner's semen as the allergen.

If the skin test is positive, then they might be able to offer you a course of desensitisation. If desensitisation is successful, the couple then have to engage in unprotected sex 2-3 times a week to maintain tolerance (allegedly).

A more convenient alternative might be prophylactic antihistamines (hay fever meds) before sex!

Rgds,

Adhari