Swimming with an open cut, acceptable?
Discussion
I’m currently on holiday in France and took a bit of chunk out of my shin today. If I was at home it would probably be a stitch or two, but my wife steri-stripped it and I’m not worried that it’ll leave quite a scar.
I’m more worried that we are swimming every day. Is it totally unacceptable to go into a chlorinated swimming pool? The reality is that probably hundreds of kids have pee’d in the pool but an open cut is much more visible. I’m just trying to gauge popular opinion on the matter. The cut is covered in a white plaster, so not totally visible, but under said plaster is a sizeable wound.
I’m more worried that we are swimming every day. Is it totally unacceptable to go into a chlorinated swimming pool? The reality is that probably hundreds of kids have pee’d in the pool but an open cut is much more visible. I’m just trying to gauge popular opinion on the matter. The cut is covered in a white plaster, so not totally visible, but under said plaster is a sizeable wound.
I'd avoid it, Seems like you're running a bit of infection risk - Mostly that it'll be a general pain with the bandaging etc. getting sodden and needing changing, probably leaving some rather "sweaty" wound tissue underneath as well.
Also if it's a public pool there may be more specific rules - You may horrify some people if the plaster falls off and you have a gaping wound everywhere
Also if it's a public pool there may be more specific rules - You may horrify some people if the plaster falls off and you have a gaping wound everywhere
Haltamer said:
I'd avoid it, Seems like you're running a bit of infection risk - Mostly that it'll be a general pain with the bandaging etc. getting sodden and needing changing, probably leaving some rather "sweaty" wound tissue underneath as well.
Also if it's a public pool there may be more specific rules - You may horrify some people if the plaster falls off and you have a gaping wound everywhere
No issue on the infection front, my wife is a wound care specialist for the NHS, it’s more the moral dilemma you point out. I know it won’t cause me a problem, nor anyone else in a chlorinated swimming pool. It’s more people’s reaction to someone swimming with a huge plaster on. Also if it's a public pool there may be more specific rules - You may horrify some people if the plaster falls off and you have a gaping wound everywhere
JQ said:
No issue on the infection front, my wife is a wound care specialist for the NHS, it’s more the moral dilemma you point out. I know it won’t cause me a problem, nor anyone else in a chlorinated swimming pool. It’s more people’s reaction to someone swimming with a huge plaster on.
Seems quite a nonsensical statement, just because your wife is a nurse does not mean that you will not get an infection, if you get an infection there will be expenses to get antibiotics from the nearest chemist, if the chemist/pharmacist will give them to a person whom walks in off the street, (this is assuming you are at a non UK location).I think the NHS would offer guidance that you don't go swimming wit an open wound due to the risk of infection, but if the wound is well covered by water proof plasters and then re dressed afterwards then I don't really see the issue or that anyone would be bothered, having said that the French have weird rules around what men can wear in a swimming pool don't they, so anything is possible
Word of warning OP, a few months back my dog jumped on my shin & peeled the skin back 3inches or so. I cleaned it up myself but 3-4 days later all hell broke loose.
My leg blew up like a balloon, I couldn’t walk on it it was so painful. I had two courses of antibiotics & was on the verge of Sepsis at one point.
My wound dressing had to be changed twice a week for a couple of months.
Only now is it scarring over & looking normal’ish.
Nurses always said no water as there’s bacteria that will have a party in there.
Take care of it.
My leg blew up like a balloon, I couldn’t walk on it it was so painful. I had two courses of antibiotics & was on the verge of Sepsis at one point.
My wound dressing had to be changed twice a week for a couple of months.
Only now is it scarring over & looking normal’ish.
Nurses always said no water as there’s bacteria that will have a party in there.
Take care of it.
I got an infection from doing this last year. I had a small cut from flip flops that rubbed, then I went into the pool. Whilst on the plane home the same leg started to hurt, then over the next day it started to swell to twice it’s normal size.
I went to A&E and was close to being admitted for DVT, but when they scanned it with ultrasound it was full of water (edema is the technical name) so they sent me home.
It got worse over the next few days and I went to a private GP. She instantly concluded it was an infection in the leg, and went and found some strong antibiotics and told me to take 3 in front of her with a vague sense of panic.
The problem resolved over the following days but I believe it has quite a high risk for sepsis when it starts spreading up the leg with a visible line.
I’m a bit more careful with cuts now, but I’m not sure I’d ruin my holiday over it as it must be quite long odds and pools in the sun are too nice!
I went to A&E and was close to being admitted for DVT, but when they scanned it with ultrasound it was full of water (edema is the technical name) so they sent me home.
It got worse over the next few days and I went to a private GP. She instantly concluded it was an infection in the leg, and went and found some strong antibiotics and told me to take 3 in front of her with a vague sense of panic.
The problem resolved over the following days but I believe it has quite a high risk for sepsis when it starts spreading up the leg with a visible line.
I’m a bit more careful with cuts now, but I’m not sure I’d ruin my holiday over it as it must be quite long odds and pools in the sun are too nice!
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Jesus wept. You lot are precious about someone swimming with a plaster?
Get a grip!
Nobody seems to care about someone else swimming with a plaster, which it transpires was the OPs question.Get a grip!
A few people are talking about the risk of infecting yourself, which is negligible but did put me in hospital!
boyse7en said:
Yes, but that is for practicality. A plaster won't stay stuck on for five minutes in a pool.
On that note, what might be the best waterproof plasters that actually stay attached when wet?I find the fabric ones stay on well when wet but obviously aren't waterproof. Maybe a waterproof one first, followed by a larger fabric one on top?
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff