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Prior permission must be obtained for inclusion in fee-based materials. Please click the button below to provide feedback. Provide Factsheet Feedback. Skip to main content. You are here Home » Burn » Factsheets. Burn Factsheets. Wound Care After Burn Injury. Additional Resources Authorship. Understanding the Extent of Your Burn Burn injuries are caused by fires or flames, hot liquids or steam, contact with a hot object or agent like grease or tar, chemicals, or electricity.
There are three levels of a burn injury: First-degree burns affect the top layer of skin, called the epidermis ep-i-DUR-mis. These burns cause minor damage to the skin. Skin may be red and tender or swollen. An example would be a mild sunburn that turns red and may peel.
First-degree burns can generally be treated at home. Second-degree burns also called partial thickness burns go through the second layer of skin, called the dermis DUR-mis. These burns cause pain, redness, and blisters and are often painful. The injury may ooze or bleed. They usually heal within 1 to 3 weeks. After healing, skin may be discolored. These burns generally do not leave raised scars.
Treatment for second-degree burns varies. It may include ointments or special dressings. Surgery may be necessary for very deep second degree burns or those that are slow to heal. Third-degree and more severe burns also called full thickness burns damage both layers of the skin and may also damage the underlying bones, muscles, and tendons. It may feel dry and leathery.
Sometimes there is no pain because the nerve endings under the skin are destroyed. Third-degree burns have a high risk of infection. They are usually treated with skin grafts. This surgery, done with general anesthesia, removes the injured skin and replaces it with healthy skin from an uninjured area of the body.
Full thickness burns that are not grafted may take months or even years to heal. Third-degree burns likely leave raised scars. Burn survivors may have a combination of first, second, and third degree burns. Talk with your health care providers to better understand your specific injuries. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus. Updated December 4, Optimal treatment of partial thickness burns in children: a systematic review.
Acute and perioperative care of the burn-injured patient. About burns. Periorbital lesions in severely burned patients. Rom J Ophthalmol. Pediatric scalds: Do cooking-related burns have a higher injury burden? J Surg Res. Antiseptics for burns. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Relationship between ultraviolet index UVI and first-, second- and third-degree sunburn using the Probit methodology.
Sci Rep. Home treatment for second-degree burns. Updated February 26, Cleveland Clinic. August 24, New dressing combination for the treatment of partial thickness burn injuries in children. Ann Burns Fire Disasters. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care survey: emergency department summary tables.
Updated Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Scalding This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
See Photo. Open Flame Burn This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. Chemical Heat Pack Burn This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. Candle Wax Burn This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Steam Iron Burn This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. American Academy of Dermatology Association. How to treat a first-degree, minor burn. Cleveland Clinic. Updated August 31, Department of Human and Health Services. Burn triage and treatment - Thermal injuries.
Updated March 20, Pressure guided surgery of compartment syndrome of the limbs in burn patients. Ann Burns Fire Disasters. Friction burns: epidemiology and prevention. Three components of education in burn care: Surgical education, inter-professional education, and mentorship.
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Summary First-, second-, and third-degree burns all have unique symptoms. Some of the scars that cause you concern about your personal appearance or difficulty in motion can be surgically improved. You may obtain the information concerning this from your clinic nurse or doctor. Although not all burn wounds will look like these examples, you can see that scarring varies from person to person and with different depths of injury. Scars usually progress over a period of time. You can expect them to look the worst between 4 and 8 months post-burn and then gradually regress over 6 to 12 months.
As your skin heals, scar tissue will develop and your skin will tend to contract, causing tightness of muscles. You may notice a stiffness and slight pulling in the joints upon rising from sleep or after being inactive for long periods during the day. You will find that movement of the joints gradually decreases the stiffness. Regular exercise helps prevent arms and legs from becoming fixed in a rigid position.
Prior to discharge, the therapist develops a home exercise program for the patient and instructs the patient and the family in its use. The therapist also works with the patient and family to obtain necessary exercise equipment and arranges for out-patient physical therapy.
Nutrition is as important to your health after you leave the hospital as during recovery from a burn injury. It is important to maintain a good weight for your height. Choose foods rich in protein to complete healing and maintain good tissue structure. Protein may be obtained from beans, nuts, cheese, fish, eggs, meat, poultry and milk. Vitamins and minerals are essential for healing and maintaining normal body functions.
They are provided by dairy products, whole grain cereals, enriched breads, fruits and vegetables. Include one good source of Vitamin C each day, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, green vegetables and potatoes.
Try to use a variety of foods since different foods have different nutrients. Control the amount of fat added to foods to help prevent excessive weight gain. Use of Health Topics. You should feel free to ask your medical team what the best discharge plan for you will be.
Watch for infection While the burn or wound is healing, bacteria can get in and cause an infection. Watch for: Redness outside the burn or wound Warm or hot skin to the touch Swelling Florescent green to yellow drainage Foul odor bad smell Fever More pain than normal These are all reasons to come in for a clinic visit.
Donor site Donor sites are made to move skin from a non-injured area of the body to cover a burn or wound. After your donor site is healed it will need moisture so it does not get dry and itch. Graft site Over time, the color of the graft and how it feels will change. At first, the graft may look shiny and be pink, dark pink, or purple depending on: How it heals The temperature of your surroundings The time of day and your activity level After care After your skin graft and donor sites heal it is very important to put on a non-perfumed unscented lotion or mineral oil many times a day.
For the best outcomes be sure to: Do your stretches. Wear your splints and garments if they are prescribed by your care team. Your graft and donor sites will be sensitive to hot and cold temperatures. You may have a tendency to overheat more easily.
Rest as needed Be sure to wear warm gloves and clothing during the winter months. Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher the rest of the year. Re-apply sunscreen often.
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