Mikveh with severe burn - Nishmat Yoatzot Halacha

Home / Q&A / Mikveh Immersion, Mikveh Preparation, Women’s Health / Mikveh with severe burn

Mikveh with severe burn

October 12, 2014

Question

I burned my hand severely and have it dressed with silicone dressing and bandages. It is due to be redressed on the morning of my mikvah immersion and will still have open areas by then as it was a deep burn.

How do I manage my immersion? I assume I will need to remove the bandage and dressing and reapply them, but I am extremely nervous of pain and infection.

Answer

Please discuss this issue with your physician. In general, if you are allowed to have clean water on your burn, it should be safe to immerse. As far as your concerns about pain – it is really your choice whether to wait until the burn has healed somewhat. It is legitimate and permissible to delay mikveh if immersion would be very painful.

If you decide to immerse on time, then when you go that morning for the dressing change, ask them to instruct you how to re-bandage your hand in the evening and make sure you have the needed materials. You should arrange with the mikveh to be the first one to immerse that night (assuring that the water will be the cleanest). In this situation, a single immersion in the mikveh is sufficient; you do not need to dunk multiple times. The bracha should be recited before you immerse.

Refuah shleimah.