Comparison of infection rate after facial melanocytic nevi excision with and without exposure to water within the first 48 hours

Abstract

Background: Preexisting guidelines about clinical managementof cutaneous wounds are based on wound dressing and avoidingwater exposure for at least 48 hours. In this study, infectionrate in the patients who underwent melanocytic nevus surgerywith dressed dry wounds were compared with the patients whoallowed their wounds to become wet.Method: In a controlled randomized clinical trial study, theincidence rate of infection in facial melanocytic nevi surgery inthe wounds that became wet 24 hours after surgery (234 wounds)were compared with similar wounds that were kept dry for atleast for 48 hours (234 wounds).Result: The infection rate was 3.4 % (8 wounds) for the drywounds versus 2.6 % (6 wounds) for the wet wounds; comparisonof these two rates showed no statistically significant difference(P=0.548, odds ratio= 1.345, CI 95%: 0.459-3.939).Conclusion: The results of this study showed that it was safe toremove the dressing of the wounds within 24 hours after minorsurgery without concern about infections and allow wounds tobecome wet after 24 hours under normal circumstances.