Not showering at all may be tried specially if you have proper hospital type body hygiene (wet sponge cleaning, which you CANNOT do alone).
But not showering is not generally indicated by doctors or nurses and seems too radical, it is of doubtful efficiency, and can become dangerous, since the pin sits tend to accumulate continuously (even with individual, local cleaning only):
1) Invisible dirt (like dust attracted by sweat),
2) Infectious agents natural in the skin but problematic if entering inside, like several species of Streptococcus,
3) Feeding sources for those bacteria (natural fats, tiny invisible "slices" of skin constantly dying, peeling off and renewing).
Altough taking shower has its risks (a stream of a multitude of substances dissolved in water surrounds the pin site and some may be retained), it is preferable to keep general higyene of the entire body (we are talking about around 5/6/7 months just for 5 cm, depending on several factors). If your body is kept naturally cleaned there are already less chances of infection because there is less dirt and furthermore most of that "dirt" will be washed out by a permanent stream of water with or without soap dissolved. Finish shower by letting water fall abundantly from the skin immediately above, a "cleaning stream " that you can "improve" by previously putting some proper desinfectant solid or liquid soap in the leg skin above the pin sites, to slide downwards the legs. Do not point directly the shower towards the pins, without first asking your doctor, according to the state of pin insertion, if you should do that. DON'T use HOT water in this last part of shower, that would dylate the invisible space between pins and points of insertion, opening a short period of possible penetration of infectious agents. Cold water furthermore stimulates deep blood supply, which is allways good to "feed" new tissues growing.
But FUNDAMENTALLY, after the shower, tottaly DRY very well the pin sites with a clean towel, preferablely washed at 90 degrees Celsius in the machine or realy disinfected and don't use it in any other part of the body. Ideally, use disposable disinfected "towels". You can also use an hair dryer but with air regulated to room temperature!
Then, disinfect patiently, carefully, around all pin sites with steryle gaze/plasters embedded in Betadine (or other desinfectant like alcool 70%, hydrogen peroxid, clorohexidin, mercurocrome or any other but ONLY if instructed to do so). Use this time to OBSERVE any early signs of infection (ask what signs are those and search pictures in this forum and the internet). If you see those signs, contact immediately the doctor for inspection of site and to choose the more convenient antibiotic (if he is not available don't wait to get other medical support to deal with a possible infection).
Optionally, let spongy Betadine adhesive plasters stay around each pin (sometimes there are bandages to use contiguously in 2 pins), in-between cleaning sessions, but let your skin "breathe " sometimes. Observe and ask how to do it yourself when you have opportunity, for example, watching the first cleaning after surgery. If you have problems with this procedure for any reason try to have help or the work done by a nurse, or paramedic, or any educated person closer to you.
Follow all medical advice given as if it were the Bible , and also common sense (like avoiding walking in polluted or dusty places, hospital and vaccination sites where people may sneeze more often, etc.).
But NEVER avoid prescribed exercise, specially more or less aided walking, for exaggerated fear of infection.
Your doctor should inspect periodically the pin sites, or ask a nurse to do it. If you are far from the surgeon location, arranje support from other medical personnel locally and possibly sending pictures to the surgeon.
Finally don't get anxious each time you do the cleaning. Even if you don't spot an infection at initial stage
allmost all are solved by either local or sistemic antibiotics.
In fact most probably you will have at least one infection. BE PREPARED . Dont pannick! Sometimes it goes away without even you have time to take antibiotics.
As a last resource, a suplementary surgery also would solve the problem in allmost all remaining cases.
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Topic: How to avoid pin site infections during consolidation? (Read 423 times)