After hand or wrist surgery, you go home with a bulky dressing or a splint and an instruction to keep it dry until your follow-up visit. That might be ten days to two weeks of showering with one hand in the air. A plastic bag and a rubber band usually leak by day three.
Quick answer: Cover the whole hand and forearm with a waterproof sleeve that seals above the dressing or splint, keep the hand up and out of the spray, and keep showers short. Never soak the hand. If the dressing gets wet, call your surgeon's office.
Why the dressing has to stay dry
Common procedures such as carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release and wrist fracture repair close with stitches under a padded dressing. A wet dressing stays wet against the incision for hours, which softens the skin and raises the risk of infection. A wet splint or cast can also irritate the skin underneath and may need replacing.
Your surgeon will tell you when the stitches come out and when the hand can get wet. Until then, keep it covered.
Why bags leak
A bag sealed with a rubber band or tape fails in two ways. The seal at the top is never complete on a forearm, so water runs in along the skin. And a tight band squeezes a hand that is already swollen after surgery. More on this in why plastic wrap fails as a shower cover.
A better cover
The HydroSeal Sleeve covers the hand, wrist and arm in one piece and fastens above the dressing with a push-button buckle strap. It fits over bulky dressings and splints, and it conforms to any size arm, adult or child. You can put it on with your good hand.
Showering after hand surgery, step by step
- Check that the dressing or splint is dry and intact.
- Slide the Sleeve over the hand and up the arm, past the top of the dressing.
- Fasten the strap snugly above the dressing. It should seal without squeezing. If your fingers tingle or change color, loosen it.
- Keep the hand raised and out of the spray. Rest the elbow against the wall or a shower ledge if you get tired.
- Wash with your other hand. A pump soap bottle is easier than bar soap one-handed.
- Keep it short.
- Dry the outside of the Sleeve before unbuckling and sliding it off.
- Raise the hand again after showering, as your surgeon advised, to keep swelling down.
Tips for one-handed showering
- Use a pump bottle for shampoo and body wash.
- Put your towel and clothes within reach before you start.
- Use a long-handled sponge for your back and good arm.
- Choose clothes that button or zip up the front, and put the operated arm in first.
Call your surgeon's office if...
- The dressing or splint gets wet
- Your fingers are numb, cold, pale or blue, or the dressing feels too tight
- Pain is getting worse instead of better
- You see redness, swelling or drainage beyond the dressing
- You have a fever or chills
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to keep my hand dry after carpal tunnel surgery?
Usually until your surgeon checks the incision or the stitches come out, often around ten to fourteen days. Ask your surgeon for your timeline.
Can I wash dishes with a cover on?
No. Do not put the hand in water, covered or not. A sleeve protects against spray in the shower, not soaking.
Will the Sleeve fit over my splint?
It is made to fit over casts, splints and bulky dressings on the hand and arm.