Assuming you are on prep, what sort of health practices do you follow when engaging providers? For example, do you query testing information? Sorry if this sounds like a naive kind of question, just trying to get a gauge of what reasonable safety looks like..

On 8/29/2026 at 1:33 AM, Grahm1eta said:

Assuming you are on prep, what sort of health practices do you follow when engaging providers? For example, do you query testing information? Sorry if this sounds like a naive kind of question, just trying to get a gauge of what reasonable safety looks like..

Since you specify PrEP, I assume your query is related to HIV. If you are referring to the whole range of sexually transmitted disease (STIs), that changes the conversation. Since you specify sauna context, I assume you mean one’s playbook in a brothel setting. Your question, if HIV specific, also suggests you are ‘team cognizant of the limitations of PrEP’. 

For HIV, PrEP is typically considered “reasonable”, but knowledge and risk tolerance may determine a preference for supplementary protection such as condom use. Reasonable safety is not equivalent to progression towards optimal, failsafe even. 

If condoms are an elective measure you want some of the time and absent other occasions, my advice would be to not to put complete stock in the sexual and testing history of a sexual partner there. There may be a lot of steps and details to cover with friendly interrogation. It will likely be laborious for you. Also consider factors such as the risk perception paradox, where somebody especially sexually active yet tested negative two months ago could be more likely currently to transmit HIV compared to a poz chap with viral suppression on antiretroviral treatment. 

If you were to say to him that you are HIV negative, wish to remain that way, test regularly, use PrEP for transmission prevention … all this obviously signalling the relevance of his status … and you mention adding condom use electively for certain sexual practices, etc, you may then ask how he accommodates the needs and preferences of somebody like you. You are spared asking a guy about status when income is welded to the answer. 

You may discover that his response satisfies you and aligns with what you know and hope he knows and applies. You will assess what he understands and is prepared to be transparent about in relation to the occupational hazards he arguably should be aware of, and should be able to articulate.

But there are plenty of condoms circulating around in the event that he falls short according to your expectations in this realm, or not.

Personally, my HIV serostatus is negative, will remain so, and I don’t ask or know the status of sexual partners. Although I am certainly open to answering any questions they might pose. YMMV. 

I wouldn't put trust in any answer you get regarding HIV status, Many people may lie, or not have recently been tested. Either use Prep, condoms or both. The answer you get from anyone, especially a sex worker should be considered suspect.