Almost embarrassed to ask

Scuba Do · May 1, 2009

I plan on diving in a lake this weekend. Last weekend I skinned my knee pretty badly. It still needs bandaging, but I think it stopped oozing yesterday. Here is the issue - one of my dive buddies is adamant that I shouldn't dive with this "open wound" as I will attract all kinds of "microbes" and "parasites" that will infect it and cause all manner of bad things to happen to me. That sounds like such a crock to me (I know I have had cuts before when diving, and have even gotten a cut while diving), but he is so adamant about this that I thought I'd ask, just to see if I am completely wrong. Thoughts?

tc · May 1, 2009

Infection is always a possibility with an open wound but unless the lake has really high bacteria counts it's probably OK.

I'd just bandage it before the dive and then remove the bandage and disinfect it right after the dive.

SparticleBrane · May 1, 2009

I suppose there's always the chance that increased partial pressures of oxygen could help speed along the healing process...

mts0628 · May 1, 2009

Abrasions, severe flesh wounds with stitches or staples, broken bones: depending on how bad you want to dive, where there's a will there's a way.

Personally, it would depend on how bad the wound was. If it was a mere abrasion (a roughed up area, a little bleeding of the oozing variety) meh, go for it. You could try to cover it up with something, but if your swimtrunking it or wetsuiting it, post dive care will be where it's at. Lacerations (cuts) requiring stitches or staples, or not easily home repaired with crazy glue (I do it all the time), um, I'd seriously wait a bit. The problem could lie where water seeps into the wound and then can't get out. This could get bad and require immediate and follow-up medical care.

I hope this helps.

With kind regards,
Thomas

MarKon · May 1, 2009

Aquatic environments contain a wide variety of bacteria, some of which can be potentially quite nasty. However, as long as you are in good shape and not immunocompromised in any way, currently ill, or have a chonic illness, I imagine at worst you would get a localized skin infection. Any infection has the potential to work its way throughout your system, but its highly unlikely. A larger wound could be a different matter, but I'm basically assuming that it is a shallow wound, not encompassing your whole knee?

MarKon · May 1, 2009

As MTS0628 indicated, post-dive wound care would clear up most concerns. A good cleaning with soap and water, followed by an anti-bacterial cleaning, then an ointment and bandage may be the way to go. I'm an RN, the medical mods may be able to offer more specific info.

tc · May 1, 2009

Or you could just borrow a drysuit.

Thalassamania · May 1, 2009

When I have had to dive and suffered from an open wound I typically use either one of the liquid bandage preparations or a product like "Tegaderm."

muddiver · May 1, 2009

Slather with Neosporen or your favorite triple antibiotic, cover the prevent abrasion and dive your heart out.

Follow diving with a good rinsing and another liberal application of antibiotic and you should be fine.

SparticleBrane is close, but only an oxygen enriched environment under pressure helps with wound healing. You would have to do a Sur D-O2 in a chamber after every dive to get any benifit from the higher PO2 like commercial divers do.

TheScubaBOB · May 1, 2009

Getting on the bus in the Philippines to go to my Honeymoon, I split the knuckle on my ring finger pretty bad.

Hurt like a B$%&@# the next morning when I took my first dip in salt water.

Was in the water everyday for a week, it didn't really get a good start healing until we got home and stayed dry for a while.

3 months later the scar is barely visible and I'm alive.

Almost embarrassed to ask

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