Do Skin Sutures Need to be Kept Covered and Dry?

I’ve always heard that skin sutures should be covered and kept dry for a couple of days in order to prevent infections – at least that’s the usual standard medical advice. But does getting recent sutures wet really lead to more infections?

To answer that question, a couple of years ago a team of Australian researchers randomly assigned over 850 patients who needed skin sutures into one of two groups. Patients in one group were asked to keep their sutures dry and covered, while the patients in the other group were allowed to remove their bandages and get their sutures wet within the first 48 hours.

The results of the study indicated that there were no differences in the incidences of infection between the two groups. The results indicate that it would be perfectly okay to take a shower without increasing the risk of infection of recent skin sutures. But I wouldn't suggest going swimming in a scummy lake or river....