Medical Advice - Cut on my ankle

[irtrogdor]

hey all you doctors, i have a question.
I got a cut on my ankle last week that required a butterfly dressing to keep it shut. It seems to healing ok, but my question is when will i be able to get back in the water? Do I have to wait until the butterfly is removed?

 

[Padaxes]

If it`s a serious cut I would wait until its healed completely, chances are if you go in the water before its ready the sea water will break down the scab and reopen the wound - eventually the cut will ulcerate.

Im currently out of the water with a surgical wound, I didnt follow the docs orders and its infected so now im on antibiotics and out of the water for an additional 3 weeks

 

[Adrian]

It's a case of a stich in time saves nine. I've learnt through experience to have the wound/cut heal completely before going back into the water. As Padaxes says, flesh won't heal, it'll get infected and you'll end up staying more time out of water than if you'ld have waited.

 

[irtrogdor]

Hey there, just wanted to update.

I kept a butterfly on it all week and got back in the water on saturday (7 days after the cut). it was fine