Gladstone says there is a higher risk of infection with open water swimming. “Exposing broken skin to the chemicals in pool water or the high salt content of ocean water can cause irritation and possible infection,” she says. Swim practice with broken skin should be avoided, whether it’s done in a chlorinated pool or the open water, Ellis says. Gladstone, president of the Gladstone Clinic in San Ramon, Calif., and former director and associate professor of dermatologic surgery at Stanford University. There could be a higher risk of infection if you swim before the burn is fully healed, says Hayes B. If you don’t want to wear a waterproof bandage, you should avoid swimming until the burn is fully healed and no blistered or broken skin remains, says Dana Ellis, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Newport Beach, Calif., who represented Canada in the pole vault at the 2004 Olympic Games.
Otherwise, the wait time depends on where the wound is located and its width, as some body areas heal faster than others, she adds. You can swim with burns while wearing a waterproof bandage within one to two days of the injury, says Lauren Ploch, a board-certified dermatologist in Augusta, Ga. Whether from too much sun or an accident that causes damage to your skin and deeper tissues, a second-degree burn is not only painful but can sideline swim practice until the skin is healed.
