Face paint children with aids

I am going to face paint [volunteer] at a shelter for homeless children. There will be children with aids. Any suggestions. I am working with the shelter manager so I am sure that she will advise me also.

Of course, we could be face painting those with aids now and not know it and just use same sanitary protection. I have just been informed that some of the families have aids and I don't know much about the subject matter.

You're right. I'm sure pretty much all of us who paint regularly have painted someone with AIDS and not known it. That's life.

Good for you for painting at a homeless shelter! I'm sure it will bring some happiness to their lives.

Good hand washing, avoiding blatant cross contamination, and general sanitation is pretty much the best we can do for our supplies. Definitely adhere to the wisdom of not painting on ANYONE with open sores, scabs, weeping wounds, cold sores, cystic acne, abrasions, etc.

Dunking brushes in alcohol, vinegar, etc will not kill bugs like AIDS, hepatitis, many rhinoviruses (colds), EPEC (pathogenic E. coli) and others. These bugs are killed with dilute bleach solution or quaternary ammonium products - not products we'd ever want to use on skin!

The only thing I can think of that would not be so noticeable is perhaps have a secondary appetizer palette of colors and get a pack of those really inexpensive brushes that have like 10 in them and separate out some sponges. If you come across someone that you know does or suspect they do have aids, then you can defer to using those products and no one would be the wiser. This way once the job is complete you can either keep everything in case you do an event like that again or you can toss everything and not be out a huge expense.

[quote="ChangingFaceDesigns"]The only thing I can think of that would not be so noticeable is perhaps have a seconday appetizer palette of colors and get a pack of those really inexpensive brushes that have like 10 in them and separate out some sponges. If you come across someone that you know does or suspect they do have aids, then you can defer to using those products and no one would be the wiser. This way once the job is complete you can either keep everything in case you do an event like that again or you can toss everything and not be out a huge expense.[/quote]

Yes, very good suggestion. I can't wait to see their smiling faces as I am sure they have had a rough time. We are all so blessed.

[quote="TheGildedCat"]You're right. I'm sure pretty much all of us who paint regularly have painted someone with AIDS and not known it. That's life.

Good for you for painting at a homeless shelter! I'm sure it will bring some happiness to their lives.

Good hand washing, avoiding blatant cross contamination, and general sanitation is pretty much the best we can do for our supplies. Definitely adhere to the wisdom of not painting on ANYONE with open sores, scabs, weeping wounds, cold sores, cystic acne, abrasions, etc.

Dunking brushes in alcohol, vinegar, etc will [b]not[/b] kill bugs like AIDS, hepatitis, many rhinoviruses (colds), EPEC (pathogenic E. coli) and others. These bugs are killed with dilute bleach solution or quaternary ammonium products - not products we'd ever want to use on skin![/quote]

Exactly....always use our brains and hearts not to offend.

There is a cleaner called Spray Nine that claims to kill HIV on contact. If worried, maybe you could dunk brushes like in alcohol, then clean your brushes well before use. If I recall, on the actual label is where it makes the HIV claim...but I don't have any on hand. Here is a link to the product page and to a partial list of the things it claims to kill. http://www.spraynine.com/product/spray-nine-cleanerdisinfectant-635
And I would use disposable sponges.

Ok, I'm no expert but everything I've ever learnt about HIV/AIDS would suggest there should be no need to take any extra care when painting an infected person than we should already be doing for everyone else.

From this site: http://www.avert.org/can-you-get-hiv-aids.htm

HIV is unable to reproduce outside its living host, except under strictly controlled laboratory conditions. HIV does not survive well in the open air, and this makes the possibility of this type of environmental transmission remote. In practice no environmental transmission has been recorded.

This means that HIV cannot be transmitted through spitting, sneezing, sharing glasses, cutlery, or musical instruments. You also can't be infected in swimming pools, showers or by sharing washing facilities or toilet seats.

So obviously as responsible professionals we must take infection control seriously but I dont believe any special considerations need to be taken regarding AIDS unless bodily fluids other than spit are directly involved. I'm sure the shelter manager would advise you if this wasn't the case.

My only concern would be that this time of year, lips can be chapped, skin can be dry, not bleeding, and even tear ducts are considered bodily fluids... and we do paint over eyes, and around lips.
I would def. talk to the shelter people to get true info... I wouldn't panic or avoid the job, good for you for doing it...but it doesn't hurt to hash out all ideas and possibilities here so that you can know all of your thoughts, questions or concerns and be prepared before talking to the co ordinator. Consider this brainstorming.

First I wanted to say your chances of spreading aids/hiv through face painting is pretty much non-existent. The bigger concern would be accidentally introducing a contaminant to a person w/ a compromised immune system. Don't paint over broken skin(cuts, soars, chapped lips, lesions, rashes, etc). Keep some temporary tattoos or glitter tattoos(where you can throw away stencils after use, use a q-tip to apply glue only poof on glitter).

I've face painted in Africa on missions trips on several occasions.

Wash your brush w/ ivory soap, rinse well in water, dip in 90% Rubbing Alcohol & let dry. Keep a lot of brushes on hand. Shannon Fennell does this same system always because of the regulations in her area.