Among the potentially anecdotal elements that sparked reactions in Prince Harry’s autobiography, The Substitute, there isn’t just this passage about his penile frostbite. The New York Times reacts to this other excerpt, in which Meghan Markle asks her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, to borrow her lip gloss. Unsure, he nevertheless accepts.
This is an opportunity for the American newspaper to question the health risks of such sharing. In fact, viruses and bacteria can attach themselves to the sticky surfaces of lipsticks, ointments and other balms for a long time. However, we don’t have accurate data on pathogen transmission via borrowing a product intended for the lips, explains Amid Zota, a professor of environmental sciences at Columbia.
herpes and staphylococci
Laleh Gharahbaghian, a professor of emergency medicine at Stanford, confirms that certain viruses and certain bacteria are easily transmitted and can remain on certain surfaces for a long time. With a classic cold or flu, it’s a matter of hours; but for the mumps virus, which is certainly rarer, we are talking about several days. The most tenacious can even survive for several weeks in certain environments.
Can the flu or Covid-19 be passed to each other via lip balm? It’s unlikely, but it’s still possible, says San Francisco-based dermatologist Tina Bhutani. And with good reason: people mainly become infected with respiratory viruses through inhalation. On the other hand, beware of cold sores, especially if the affected person has sores. But we imagine Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle would have avoided sharing the same product if either of them ran into this issue.
It’s also possible for staph to be transmitted from one person to another via this mode of transmission, in part because the bacteria can cause sores that leak a fluid that can be contagious.
Beware of self-infection
Among the products most likely to transmit infection, lip gloss is the all-around champion, says the New York Times, because viruses love its sticky, watery texture. But Tina Bhutani prefers to avoid rankings and takes a more radical approach: From the moment a cosmetic product comes into contact with your eyes or saliva, you should keep it to yourself and not take any risks. Some brands offer products that contain antibacterial and antifungal agents, but it should be noted that their effectiveness wears off over time.
Also, be aware of the risk of self-infection: for example, if you have used a balm or lipstick when you have the flu, it is better to wait a week before using it again, even for yourself. The risk of catching the same disease again is relative small but not negligible. Forward the message to Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.