How to Properly Treat a Burn
Burns on the skin are a serious condition that can have severe repercussions if not treated properly. If the burn is extremely serious then you must immediately rush to the hospital. Understand that while finger burns may not be that serious, burns on the face, hands, feet or genitalia must get immediate medical attention.
In case of less intense burns, you can proceed to treat it carefully yourself. All minor burns should be immediately doused with cold water. Better yet, let the burn run under cold water for several minutes. This will prevent any further damage to the skin than what you have already undergone.
It is always advantageous to know how to properly treat a burn. For this, you ought to be aware of the what degree the burn is. Burns are classified in three categories: first-degree, second-degree and third-degree burns.It's the degree of the burn that determines the treatment.
First-degree burns occur on the outer or first layer of skin. This is commonly experienced by most of us at some point in our lives. The only damage with first-degree burns is discolored, red skin and some pain. In second-degree burns, the outer layer of skin as well as the next one to it is also affected. In this case, you will have blisters along with blotchy red skin, some swelling and intense, often throbbing, pain.
Third-degree burns severely damage all layers of the skin. These burns can even go as deep as the bones and burn fat and muscle as well as skin. These burns can produce black charring or look white and be dry in appearance. You should check for charring. If there is charring, it means that the burn has gone beyond the first layer of skin to all three layers that have been affected. In this case, you must seek proper medical attention immediately.
The first- and second-degree burns are basically considered minor burns and you may treat them yourself. If the skin appears slightly reddened but no blister have formed, then consider this to be a mild burn. It is best to apply some Aloe vera gel or a medicated burn ointment to provide relief from the heat or searing pain that usually occurs. You can also take over-the-counter pain killers to get relief from the pain. Pain killers such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen provide effective pain relief.
Water is good as it cools off the burn. After you have had running water for about five minutes on the burn, you can lightly wrap it with gauze. A loose wrap lets air circulate, allowing it to heal properly. Burns usually heal well if you follow this treatment.
Related Information
Top 10 Car Protection Products
Seizure First Aid - What to Do When Someone Has a Seizure
