Shaving could transmit HBV and HCV especialy when performed at barber shops where shared instruments are used. Bleeding from wounds might contaminate barber shaving instruments in which any viral contamination lead to acquiring the infection..
HBV and HCV are primarily transmitted via parenteral routes. In developed countries, injection drug use is the dominant mode of HCV transmission. For successful transmission of both viruses, there is a complex set of interactions between the virus and the host factors. Having observed the shaving practices by some barbers, it is less likely that HBV/HCV can be transmitted through shaving as the viruses can hardly survive outside the vascular compartment. However, it is prudent to treat shaving as one of the potential risk factors.