EDITOR’S NOTE: Physicians, providers, and administrative staff who practice at Maui Health hospitals and clinics answer questions from the public in Healthwise Maui, which appears in The Maui News. Maui Health operates Maui Memorial Medical Center, Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic, Kula Hospital & Clinic and Lana’i Community Hospital and accepts all patients. To submit a question, go to mauihealth.org/healthwise.

Q: Why do I need to wear a motorcycle helmet if I’m a safe rider?


Dr. Caesar Ursic, Maui Memorial Trauma Medical Director and General Surgeon, Maui Memorial Medical Center: No matter how experienced or careful you are when riding, there are always hazards you can’t control — like the weather, road conditions, and other drivers around you. When a crash does happen, wearing the right helmet can reduce your risk of a serious brain injury or dying.


Unfortunately, even though helmet use has increased for the past several years, as many as a quarter of riders still don’t wear one. This choice can be deadly.


According to a 2024 study of patients treated after motorcycle crashes, non-helmeted riders were more than twice as likely to experience severe traumatic brain injuries. The study also found that using a helmet lowered the risk of dying in a crash.


A different study of Hawaii emergency medical system calls found that unhelmeted riders were more likely to suffer skull fractures and other head injuries in a crash. The same study found that riders who didn’t use a helmet had significantly higher medical bills.

Even mild traumatic brain injury can lead to profound loss of subtle cognitive abilities that often result in loss of job and livelihood. This can be devastating to an individual and their family.


When choosing a helmet, look for one that’s the right size and shape for your head, so it fits properly, and choose the right style of helmet for the type of riding you do. Always make sure you’re wearing a helmet that meets federal safety standards, which you can check by looking for the DOT symbol on the outside back of the helmet. Motorcycle passengers should always wear a helmet, too.

Some people believe that wearing a helmet increases the chance of having a neck injury. This is an urban myth and has been disproved by modern research.


Following traffic laws, checking road conditions, and riding defensively are good ways to avoid a crash, but sometimes accidents happen. When they do, a helmet can save your life.

Maui Memorial Medical Center is a verified American College of Surgeons Level III Trauma Center, and our Emergency Department has trauma surgeons available 24 hours a day, along with Neurosurgery and many other specialties. Learn more about our trauma care on our website mauihealth.org/trauma.

Q: Is swimming in the ocean good for a healing wound?


Dr. James R. Williams, Infectious Disease, Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic: People have long thought that ocean water could help heal cuts and wounds. But we know now this is a myth. From a medical standpoint, you should stay out of the ocean when you have an open wound.


The ocean water around our islands contains several different kinds of pathogens. In addition to the presence of natural marine bacteria, runoff from mauka areas and underground leaks from septic systems can contaminate our coastal waters. Harmful bacteria, including Vibrio, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, E. coli, and Leptospirosis, have been found in our oceans and can cause infections and delay healing.


The belief that salty ocean water is good for wounds is based on historical practices, and it does seem to make sense — after all, doctors use saline, a saltwater solution, to clean wounds. 
But unlike saline, ocean water isn’t sterile, and it’s also not balanced for healing tissue. In fact, the higher salt concentration in seawater can irritate wounds and impair the natural healing process.


The safest approach is to wait until your wound is completely healed before swimming in the ocean, especially for deeper cuts or surgical wounds. Waterproof bandages may provide protection for small, superficial cuts, but it’s best to err on the side of caution. If you do get a wound wet, clean it well and apply a polysporin ointment before covering it again with a clean bandage.


And remember that beach sand can also contain bacteria, and getting sand in your wound can interfere with healing. So even if you’re not swimming, make sure that your wound is fully covered with a bandage when spending time at the beach.

Maui Health’s Wound Clinic offers specialized care and advanced treatments to help wounds heal quickly and effectively. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit our website mauihealth.org/woundcare.