Shout out to my patients with post operative wounds who won’t be able to go into the water for a bit. I too love swimming and surfing but you need to know that it’s important for you to keep your wound dry and stay out of the water. (image - my family enjoying WA's beaches) If your wound stays wet for a long time, a lot of the fresh healing tissue will be washed away. Also, when the wound is soggy from a lengthy swim, a lot of your skin’s natural waterproofing gets washed away, making it easier for germs to get in.
People often mistakenly think that it’s OK to go in the ocean with a fresh wound because it’s salt water. But unfortunately, although it is salt water, it is also home to lots of microorganisms which can get your wound infected. So, all up, a brief wetting in the shower is OK but a swim is not a good idea. Dr Lewis Blennerhassett Comments are closed.
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