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Original poster

Is a small cut dangerous to swim in the sea with?

105 replies

PattyDuckface · 09/08/2024 21:30

So, there's not much more to add to the title apart from "please help, and give me advice".

I am on holiday in Italy and my child got a cut on their toe from stubbing it. Some blood but the pain subsided after 20 minutes.

Now my DH is saying it's dangerous to swim in the sea with a cut. He thinks our child must not swim until it's healed, which will totally ruin our holiday as it is 37 degrees here.

I had no idea about this being dangerous and I checked it out online but was surprised to read that there are dangerous bacteria in the sea and swimming with a cut is not recommended.

Can anyone clarify this. The cut he has is very small, it's not a wound.

OP posts:
LaLaLouella · 09/08/2024 22:03

It would not occur to me not to swim in the sea with a small cut - I wouldn't ruin your holiday over something like this. Your child will be fine.

LaughingCat · 09/08/2024 22:05

Another one for let him swim unless you’re somewhere really polluted (and I wouldn’t advise swimming in there even with no cuts!). If you have antibac wipes, just give the cut a wipe down when he gets out if you’re DH is really worried. I was constantly banging myself about as a clumsy kid and would stay in the sea for hours with my cuts and grazes, even still bleeding. Always helped me heal really fast.

Barleysugar86 · 09/08/2024 22:06

I'd be wary- I was in Thailand when my partner got a cut on his leg and we were just about to start a weeks scuba course (already paid for) so went with the whole salt water is good for cuts thing. Each day the salt water soaked off any kind of healing scab and seemed to open up the wound a bit more. It had doubled in size and depth by the end of the week and become kind of a crater in his skin which ended up with dark scarring.

I honestly hadn't expected that kind of thing could happen. It only healed with being kept very dry after that so it could scab over properly.

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Dahliaaaa · 09/08/2024 22:06

Dd developed a toe infection on holiday earlier this year. She ended up seeing the Dr who cut her toe to drain it. We were told by the Dr that she could swim in the sea after 24 hours, and the pool after 4 days

LucyLocketLovesPollyPocket · 09/08/2024 22:09

I have eczema and many open cuts, it hurts like fuck but the sea water does help hiw fast it heals. I always find on holidays my skin is so much better.

redshoes2017 · 09/08/2024 22:12

I literally read a news story the other day about a man that died after swimming with a small cut on his leg . I was alway under the impression that salt water was good for cuts , after reading the news story I wouldn't do it again . Maybe buy your son one of those swimming socks ?

Mangoandbroccoli · 09/08/2024 22:16

Another one for whom it wouldn't even occur that this could be an issue! I suppose there's a very tiny risk, but there's a risk to getting in a car etc. A close friend has recently had surgery on her thumb after a cut got infected - she had no recollection of cutting it in the first place and there's no obvious place that the infection could have come from. My point being that anything can happen at any point, but this is just really bad luck and we can't live our lives worrying about these things / miss out on things in the meantime. I hope you all have a brilliant holiday!

Mangoandbroccoli · 09/08/2024 22:18

And for every news story about someone who died after swimming with a cut, there will be a million people who swam with cuts and were absolutely fine. The latter just doesn't sell newspapers.

AinmEile · 09/08/2024 22:18

When I was a child I had pretty constant stubbed toes and grazed knees in summer, while being in and out of the sea. I never heard anyone say it was an issue, or have an issue?

Mountainclimber50 · 09/08/2024 22:19

Spray on plaster or liquid skin sold in pharmacies. Keep applying it during swimming but after bath time leave it off to heal. I take spray plaster/liquid skin and spray antiseptic everywhere with me on holiday.

rainbowsparkle28 · 09/08/2024 22:20

As others have said I would not be concerned about going in the sea, salt water potentially would be helpful for healing/cleaning. Of course if any obvious signs at any point of issues then get this checked out but cross that bridge when you come to it, I would not think anything of it.

thaegumathteth · 09/08/2024 22:23

God my kids always have some graze or cut or something and dd in particular would swim in the sea every day. It's never even crossed my mind

mamakoukla · 09/08/2024 22:24

Depending on size, depth, location of cut. Personal experience is sea water (as long as it’s reasonably unpolluted!) helps clean and heal. However, you need to make sure it’s not getting filled with sand and should be kept clean. In fact, grazes/scrapes/colds/sinusitis - got told to go swim in the sea lol

RB68 · 09/08/2024 22:47

given the amount of sewage released into the sea these days it would be a no from me - however you could get some of the second skin plasters which would much reduce the risk

brightonrock123456789 · 09/08/2024 22:49

Sea in England I would be more wary but I don’t think Italy pump their raw sewage into theirs

OlympicsFanGirl · 09/08/2024 22:55

It's fine

Ponkpinkpink15 · 09/08/2024 23:04

It's fine. If the water quality is questionable, I wouldn't let him swim in it, cut or not. If it's acceptable water quality it'll help it heal.

that poor man that died (linked above) is tragic, but at all comparable. He was 'older', got his cut/scratches at a fish farm, was diabetic & had a lot of pain for days before seeking medical help

DS will be fine, not sure how you'll convince DH though

Franjipanl8r · 09/08/2024 23:04

If it’s a small cut it will heal quickly so he doesn’t have to miss much time in the sea. Personally I’d wait until it’s scabbed over at least.

Branleuse · 09/08/2024 23:07

Ridiculous.
0f course theres a tiny risk with anything, but i would still swim with it 100% wouldn't let it ruin my fun

longdistanceclaraclara · 09/08/2024 23:19

It
Wouldn't even cross my mind to not, unless you are somewhere pumping out sewage.

ObliviousCoalmine · 09/08/2024 23:27

I also thought this was nonsense and then I went in the sea a few times (in the uk) when I had a cut on my thigh, which was probably a fair bit deeper than a stubbed toe, and it went very red and then filled with pus so...

I'd probably let them swim but give it a good dose of something antiseptic when they get out.

Debtfreegoals · 09/08/2024 23:28

Salt water and packed with minerals. Salt makes wounds dry up quicker and heal faster.

Sunshine9218 · 09/08/2024 23:33

I think it's fine but you could put some savlon (or equiv) and a plaster on before and after if you wanted to be extra safe??

otravezempezamos · 09/08/2024 23:35

wastingtimeonhere · 09/08/2024 21:52

I may have watched too many films, my first thought was sharks! 😆

Me too!!!

Unless you are swimming in a shark tank your husband is clearly trying to trash your child’s holiday.

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