What is Burn Care
A burn is an injury to the skin or the tissues under the skin. There are three types of burns:
- First degree. These burns may cause the skin to be red and a bit swollen.
- Second degree. These burns are very painful and cause the skin to be very red. The skin may also leak fluid, look shiny, and start to have blisters.
- Third degree. These burns cause permanent damage. They turn the skin white or black and make it look charred, dry, and leathery.
Taking care of your burn properly can help to prevent pain and infection. It can also help the burn to heal more quickly.
How is this treated?
Right after a burn:
- Rinse or soak the burn under cool water. Do this for several minutes. Do notput ice on your burn. That can cause more damage.
- Lightly cover the burn with a clean (sterile) cloth (dressing).
Burn care
- Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your heart while sitting or lying down.
- Follow
instructions from your doctor about:
- How to clean and take care of the burn.
- When to change and remove the cloth.
- Check
your burn every day for signs of infection. Check for:
- More redness, swelling, or pain.
- Warmth.
- Pus or a bad smell.
Medicine
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
If you were prescribed antibiotic medicine, take or apply it as told by your doctor. Do notstop using the antibiotic even if your condition improves.
General instructions
- To
prevent infection:
- Do notput butter, oil, or other home treatments on the burn.
- Do notscratch or pick at the burn.
- Do notbreak any blisters.
- Do notpeel skin.
- Do notrub your burn, even when you are cleaning it.
- Protect your burn from the sun.
Contact a doctor if:
- Your condition does not get better.
- Your condition gets worse.
- You have a fever.
- Your burn looks different or starts to have black or red spots on it.
- Your burn feels warm to the touch.
- Your pain is not controlled with medicine.
Get help right away if:
- You have redness, swelling, or pain at the site of the burn.
- You have fluid, blood, or pus coming from your burn.
- You have red streaks near the burn.
- You have very bad pain.
