Some Basics...

• Burns cause damage to the body's tissues, such as the skin. Burns are called first, second, or third degree based on the amount of tissue damage they cause.
• Chemical burns result from lye, acids, or other tissue-damaging chemicals. If washed off right away, chemicals often only cause first-degree burns.
• Electrical burns result from electricity passing through the skin.
• A tetanus shot is sometimes needed after a burn.

Causes

Thermal burns are skin injuries caused by heat.

• Hot water or hot drinks
• Hot ovens or stoves
• Electric or kerosene space heaters
• Exhaust pipes
• Hot grease
• Hair curling or clothes irons

Degrees of Burn Severity

• First Degree (surface burns): Red skin without blisters. These burns most often do not need to be seen by a doctor.
• Second Degree (partial thickness burns): Red skin with blisters. These burns heal from the bottom up in 2-3 weeks.
  • Small unbroken blisters (smaller than 2 inch or 5 cm) can be left alone. You do not need to pop or cut off the blister. An unbroken blister helps to stop infection and pain. It acts like a natural adhesive bandage (Band-Aid). However, most blisters over 1 inch (2.5 cm) will go on to break open.
  • Large unbroken blisters (wider than 2 inch or 5 cm) most often break open within a couple days. The dead blister skin should be trimmed. This is best done by a doctor or other healthcare provider.
  • Broken blisters need to have the dead blister skin removed. A person can do this at home. Most broken blisters do not have fluid in them. The fluid has all leaked out. The blister skin will look flat or wrinkled.
• Third Degree (full thickness burns): These are deeper burns with white or charred skin. The burn may be numb to pain and touch. These burns most often need a skin graft if larger than a quarter (1 inch or 2.5 cm). This will help to limit scarring.

1. What You Should Know:
   • Mild burns are first degree burns or small blisters. Hot food and drinks can also cause minor burns on your mouth or lips.
   • You can treat a mild thermal or chemical burn at home.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
     
2. Cleansing: Wash the burn gently with an antibacterial liquid soap and water 1 time a day.
3. Broken or Open Blisters:
   • You should remove the dead blister skin for any broken or open blisters.
   • The best way to do this is to gently wipe away the dead skin. You should wipe with some wet gauze or a wet washcloth.
   • If that does not work, trim off the dead skin with small sharp scissors.
4. Antibiotic Ointment for Broken or Open Blisters:
   • Put antibiotic ointment directly on an adhesive bandage (Band-Aid) or dressing. You should try not to rub ointment directly on the burn.
   • Then put the Band-Aid or dressing over the burn.
   • Change the dressing every other day. Use warm water and 1-2 wipes with a wet washcloth to remove any surface debris.
   • Be gentle with burns.
5. Unbroken or Closed Blisters:
   • First 7 Days After a Burn: Leave unbroken or closed blisters alone.
   • After 7 Days: You can gently remove the blisters. The best way to do this is gently wipe away the dead skin. You should wipe with some wet gauze or a wet washcloth.
6. Tetanus Shot: If your last tetanus shot was more than 10 years ago, you need a booster. Call your doctor during normal office hours (within the next 3 days).
7. What To Expect:
   • Burns most often hurt for 2-3 days.
   • First Degree Burns: Peel like a sunburn in about a week. The skin should look close to normal after 2 weeks.
   • Second Degree Burns: Blisters most often break open within 7 days. Second degree burns take 14-21 days to heal. After the burn is healed, the skin may look a little darker or lighter than before.
   • Scarring: First and second-degree burns don't leave scars.
8. Pain Medicines:
   • You can take one of the drugs listed below if you have pain.
   • They are over-the-counter (OTC) pain drugs. You can buy them at the drugstore.
   Acetaminophen (Tylenol):
   • Regular Strength Tylenol: Take 2 pills (650 mg) every 4-6 hours. Each pill has 325 mg of acetaminophen.
   • Extra Strength Tylenol: Take 2 pills (1,000 mg) every 8 hours. Each pill has 500 mg of acetaminophen.
   • Do not take more than (3,000 mg) of this drug per day.
   Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil):
   • Motrin and Advil: Take 2 pills (400 mg) every 6 hours. Each pill has 200 mg of ibuprofen.
   • A second choice is to take 3 pills (600 mg) every 8 hours.
   Naproxen (Aleve):
   • Aleve: Take 1 pill (220 mg) every 8 hours. Each pill has 220 mg of naproxen.
   • A second choice is to take 2 pills (440 mg) every 12 hours.
   Extra Notes:
   • Use the lowest amount of a drug that makes your pain feel better.
   • Your doctor might tell you to take more than what is shown above. That is because your doctor knows you and your health problems.
   • Acetaminophen is safer than ibuprofen or naproxen in people over 65 years old. Acetaminophen is in many OTC and prescription drugs. It might be in more than one drug you are taking. Be careful how much you take. Too much of this drug can hurt the liver.
   • Caution- Acetaminophen: Do not take it if you have liver disease.
   • Caution- Ibuprofen and Naproxen:
     • Do not take ibuprofen or naproxen if you are pregnant.
     • Do not take these drugs if you have stomach problems or kidney disease.
     • Do not take these drugs for more than 7 days without checking with your doctor.
   • Read all package instructions.
9. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe pain lasts more than 2 hours after taking pain medicine
   • Burn starts to look infected (pus, red streaks, or tender to the touch)
   • You get worse

1. What You Should Know:
   • Minor burns of the mouth from hot food are most often painful for 2 days.
   • They heal quickly. The lining of the mouth heals 2 times as fast as the skin.
   • You can treat minor burns of the mouth at home.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Ice:
   • Put a piece of ice in the mouth right away for 10 minutes. This will help with the swelling and pain.
   • Rinse the mouth with ice water every hour for 4 hours.
3. What to Expect:
   • The pain most often goes away after 2 days.
   • Second degree burns can cause some blisters that quickly turn into shallow ulcers. These take 3-4 days to heal. They normally have a white surface.
4. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Trouble with swallowing
   • Trouble with breathing
   • Pain becomes severe
   • You get worse

1. Tetanus Shot: If your last tetanus shot was more than 10 years ago, you need a booster. Call your doctor during normal office hours (within the next 3 days).

1. Information:
   • Handling Hot Peppers: Certain types of peppers can cause skin irritation and burning pain. This most often goes away without any skin damage. The burning pain should go away within 1 hour.
   • Biting a Hot Pepper: Peppers may cause a painful burning feeling of the skin. The discomfort most often lasts 10-20 minutes. The skin will not blister or be damaged in any way.
2. Treatment for Skin Pain from Handling Hot Peppers:
   • Wash the skin with soap and warm water to remove the pepper oils.
   • Cover the painful skin area with vegetable oil for 1 hour. For hands and fingers, soak in vegetable oil. It absorbs the pepper oils and will help the pain go away. If you do not have vegetable oil, you can try using milk or cream. Dairy products will also absorb the pepper oil. Dairy products that are "fat-free" will not work.
3. Treatment for Mouth Pain from Eating Hot Peppers:
   • Rinse your mouth a few times with milk or cream. Milk that is "fat-free" will not work.
   • Dairy products will absorb the pepper oil and help the pain go away.
4. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Pain lasts more than 1 hour
   • Blisters appear
   • You get worse