Knowing how to treat a burn is important. Untreated burns can get infected and cause additional scarring. If you are suffering from a serious burn, it’s important to consult with a physician. If you only have a minor burn there are things you can do at home to treat the burn yourself.
How to Treat a Minor Burn
First degrees burns are the least severe and only affect the outermost layer of skin known as the epidermis. They can cause redness and swelling of the skin that can sometimes be painful. If pain persists you may have a more serious burn. Treating a first degree burn at home is easy. If you’ve been burned, cool the skin by running it under cold water immediately. The cold water helps soothe the pain and reduce redness and swelling caused by the burn. You can also use cold, damp towels or cloths changed regularly until the pain subsides.
After you’ve cooled the burn you can apply a special burn ointment to help relieve the pain. You can find burn ointment at any supermarket or drug store. You can also use a pain reliever like Tylenol or Advil to help reduce the pain. First degree burns typically heal in 3 to 5 days and shouldn’t hurt too bad after the first day or two.
Some second degree burns can be considered a minor burn while others may be more serious. Burns over large areas of the skin, or burns that are borderline third degree burns should be checked out by a physician immediately. Second degree burns affect the dermis layer of skin, directly below the epidermis. You know you’re dealing with a burn that’s at least a second degree burn if blisters appear on the skin shortly after being burned.
The first thing to do with a second degree burn is to cool it using cold water or a cold, damp towel. It’s no actually recommended to use ice on a burn as your skin may actually become too cold and suffer further damage from a cold burn.
Blisters caused by second degree burns should never been punctured. This can increase the risk of infection. All blisters should be covered with fresh, sterile gauze daily or a few times a day depending on how bad they are. Keeping your blisters clean and dry is the best way to help them heal completely with minimal scarring. Your doctor may recommend an antibiotic cream to help prevent any infections caused by blisters.
Second degree burns will take quite a bit longer to heal than first degree burns do, often taking a few weeks to heal completely. It all depends on how severe the burn is and how much of the dermis is affected. Certain burns, such as those to the face, hands or genitals should always be examined by a physician.
How to Treat Severe Burns
Third degree burns, which are the most serious of all burns, will generally cause damage to all layers of the skin and may even burn bone, ligaments, muscles or tendons below the skin. Because these burns are so serious, immediate medical attention will always be required to treat them. Remove any clothing from a third degree burn and cover with a clean towel or sheet immediately. Next apply a cold compress and seek medical attention.
Knowing how to treat a burn can help keep you prepared. Knowing what to do can eliminate any anxiety you may feel when helping someone who has been severely burned. Any burn more serious than a mild second degree burn should be evaluated by a doctor. Knowing how to treat a burn can help prevent infection and scarring to burned skin.