Every time you try to shower with a bandage, it’s quite a challenge. You already know that it will need to be replaced with a clean, dry one later on. How are you supposed to keep it clean if the doctor has told you to keep the bandage dry? Avoid messy soggy surgical dressings and consider using some of these methods to keep your dressings dry when you’re in the shower.
1. Consider putting on a plastic bag. Putting the bandage or cast in a plastic bag can keep it from getting wet. Make sure there are no holes in the plastic, then put your arm or leg through the opening. Use strong tape, such as duct tape, to secure the top and prevent leaks. If you need to keep a bandaged hand dry in the shower, protect it with a rubber glove secured with waterproof tape to prevent leaks.
2. Try plastic wrap. If the location of the dressing room means a bag won’t do, try plastic wrap. You should have a friend help you wrap your dresser in plastic wrap and tape around the edges. You need to make sure to wrap a place larger than the bandage.
3. A condom is an imaginative way to protect yourself! When you need to keep a bandage on your finger or toe, place a condom over the bandage and use waterproof tape to seal the ends. (Make sure your rubber isn’t lubricated though!)
4. Purchase a suitable lining for the dressing room. A bandage cover for the shower is a good investment if you expect to use large ones for an extended period of time. If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to keep your bandage completely dry in the shower, you can use the ‘shower sleeve’, which works well and costs less than ten dollars. The packs include everything you need to keep your injury dry while you get better.
5. Think of a sponge bath. If you really think it’s too hard to keep bandages dry while showering, maybe you should consider trying another method of cleaning yourself. If the position of the bandage allows it, you can sit in your bathtub without inserting the injured part of your body. Plus, possibly all you need to do is stick one leg out of the shower stall while you quickly wash the rest of your body. All you have to do is wipe your leg with a cloth. While it is a bit uncomfortable, it will allow you to keep the bandage dry while it cleans.
