As you are pouring that hot kettle of bottling water into your tea mug, disaster strikes, the hot, boiling water splashes onto your arm. Immediately, you feel a sharp pain, and soon after, redness and swelling appear, clear signs of a skin burn.
This frightening thing about getting a skin burn, often at home or work, is the risk of permanent scarring, infection, and other complications. However, quickly identifying the severity of the skin burn and knowing how to treat it can help reduce the damage. While serious skin burns require immediate treatment of burn injury in Coimbatore, you can manage milder skin burns at home.
What are the types of skin burns?
Burns are categorized based on how deeply they’ve damaged the skin. You can typically tell the type of skin burn by how your skin responds afterward. Skin burns are classified into three levels: first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree.
First-degree burns:
A first-degree burn is a small burn that only reaches the skin’s surface. It causes redness and slight swelling but doesn’t lead to blisters.
Second degree burns:
A second-degree skin burn happens when the damage extends to the second layer of skin. This type of skin burn can cause symptoms such as:
- Blisters
- Pain
- Swelling
- Thickening of the skin
- Soreness
- Reddening
- Itchy and burning skin
Third-degree burns:
A third-degree skin burn is the most serious and deepest type of skin burn, affecting all three layers of skin. It can cause the skin to turn dark brown or white, and the affected area may look waxy, leathery, or extremely dry.
How should a burn of the first degree be treated?
First-degree burns can be treated with simple tips at home:
- Put the skin burn area under running tap water
- Put a sterile, non-adhesive bandage over the burn
- Try taking prescribed medications to calm the pain
- Cool compress should be applied to the injured area.
- Try avoiding the exposure to sunlight.
To promote burn healing, avoid using ice, butter, or homemade ointments on the burn, as these can make it worse. Burns of the first degree typically heal in a few days. Scarring depends on how deep the skin burn is, deeper skin burns need new tissue to form to repair the skin’s surface.
What are the tips to treat a second degree burn?
Usually tips used for first degree burns are also effective for second degree burns. But they take longer to heal when compared to first degree skin burns. Reach out to the skin care specialist in Coimbatore if you are with someone who is dealing with burns.
How to treat blisters?
When blisters form, avoid popping or breaking them. If they’re damaged or not treated properly, they can become infected and cause more harm and scarring.
Since second-degree burns can result in open wounds, avoid using cotton balls or anything that might leave fibers in the area, as this can raise the risk of infection.
What are the steps to prevent scars?
Second-degree burns impact both the outer layer (epidermis) and the underlying layer (dermis) of the skin, and if the burn is deep, it can lead to scarring. People with olive-toned or darker skin are more likely to experience long-lasting discoloration after a skin burn. The inflammation can affect pigment production more noticeably in darker skin tones.
There’s also some evidence that the longer a skin burn takes to heal, the more likely it is to leave a scar.
To minimize scarring, it’s important to follow proper wound care steps and keep the area protected from the sun. If scarring does occur, remember that it will gradually improve over time.
All wounds continue to heal and improve for six to twelve months after the injury. If the scar stays firm or raised, using silicone-based gels or sheets can help make it softer.
What are the steps to treat a third-degree burn?
Third degree burns are often considered serious and require proper medical attention to treat it.
If you’re with someone who might have a third-degree burn, keep an eye on their breathing and pulse. While waiting for medical help, keep the injured area elevated above the heart and avoid trying to treat it yourself.
In case you notice the person going to shock then:
- Place the victim flat on the ground
- Keep the burn area elevated
- Cover the victim covered
The burn healing time for third-degree skin burns can vary widely depending on how severe the burn is. Sometimes skin grafting may be required. In certain situations, skin grafting might be required. This involves surgically taking a piece of healthy skin from another part of the body and placing it over the burned area. Severe third-degree burns can also damage deeper skin layers, bones, and organs, which might require surgery, physical therapy, or rehabilitation to address.
When should you see a healthcare provider?
There are certain circumstances, where skin burn injuries requires immediate medical care:
- In case the burn looks like a third degree burn
- You cannot analyze the severity of the burn
- The burn size is huge
- In case the skin burn injury is caused by a chemical or abuse
- In case of shock symptoms
Important Takeaway:
Speeding up recovery from a burn requires proper care once the burn is completely healed the skin may gradually get back to normal although it can take a certain amount of time depending on how deep the scar is and how severely the tissues have been damaged. Consult a skin care specialist in Coimbatore to seek expert care for burn healing.
