Burns from boiling water are among the most common household accidents. A hot drink, shower water, or water boiling in a saucepan can easily fall on the skin and burn it. It can happen to anyone at any time. However, if you learn to assess the situation and degree of the burn, you will be able to treat it quickly.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Assessing the Situation
Step 1. Recognize the signs of a first degree burn
Once the hot water comes into contact with your skin, you need to figure out what kind of burn it caused. Burns are classified into degrees, with the higher one indicating more severe injuries. First degree burns are the most superficial, in fact they only damage the upper skin layer (epidermis). Symptoms include:
- Damage to the upper skin layer;
- Dry, red, sore skin
- Whitening of the skin tissue when pressed;
- This wound heals within 3-6 days without scarring.
Step 2. Look for a second degree burn
If the water temperature is quite high or the exposure time to the heat source is noticeably high, a second degree burn could develop. It is considered a partially deep superficial burn. Symptoms include:
- Damage involving the surface of the skin and the immediately underlying tissue layer;
- Redness and discharge at the burn site
- Blisters
- Whitening of the skin tissue when pressed;
- Tenderness at the slightest contact and in relation to changes in temperature;
- This wound takes 2-3 weeks to heal and can leave scars or cause hypo- or hyperpigmentation, which is an area of the skin that is darker or lighter than the surrounding skin.
Step 3. Recognize a third degree burn
It occurs when the water temperature is boiling or the exposure time to the heat source is extremely long. It is considered a traumatic injury that affects the deeper layers of the skin. Symptoms include:
- Damage to the epidermis (the most superficial layer) and the dermis (the intermediate part) at various depths, which do not fully penetrate the second layer;
- Tenderness at the site of the lesion when pressed with force (although it does not always involve pain because the destruction of the nerve receptors in the dermis makes the burned part insensitive to stimuli);
- The skin does not turn white when compressed;
- Blistering
- Development of blackened spots and scabs;
- It is necessary to go to the emergency room in case of third degree burns because, if they cover more than 5% of the body, the treatments involve surgery or hospitalization.
Step 4. Look for a fourth degree burn
It is the most serious. This is a dangerous injury that requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms include:
- Damage that involves full thickness skin (epidermis and dermis) and often affects underlying structures, including muscles, adipose tissue and even bones;
- Absence of pain
- Skin charred and covered with white, gray or blackish spots and crusts;
- Dryness felt at the burn site
- It is necessary to undergo surgery and continue hospitalization during the healing process.
Step 5. Identify a severe burn
Regardless of the degree of the burn, a burn can be considered serious if it is localized to a joint or covers most of the body. If your vital functions are impaired or you are unable to perform normal daily activities due to this injury, the extent of the damage could be severe.
- A limb corresponds to about 10% of the body of an adult subject, while the thorax is equivalent to 20%. If more than 20% of the body surface is burned, it is a serious injury.
- On the other hand, a third or fourth degree burn covering 5% of the body surface (such as the forearm or mid leg) is also serious.
- Treat these types of burns the same way you would treat a third or fourth degree burn - call emergency services immediately.
Part 2 of 3: Treating a Minor Burn
Step 1. Learn to recognize situations in which medical attention is needed
Even if the burn is not a concern (first or second degree), it still needs to be treated if it is accompanied by certain signs. If it affects the skin tissue on one or more fingers, you need to see your doctor urgently. The wound risks obstructing blood circulation and, in extreme cases, when it is not treated, it could lead to the amputation of the fingers.
You should also see your doctor if the burn is located on the face or neck, over a large area of the hands, groin, legs, feet, buttocks or joints, regardless of its severity
Step 2. Clean the burn
If the damage is small enough, you can heal the wound yourself. The first step is to clean it. Therefore, remove all clothing covering the burned area and immerse it in cold water. Don't use tap water, as running water can damage your skin and increase the risk of scarring or complications. Also avoid the hot one as it can further irritate the skin.
- Wash the wound with a mild soap.
- Do not apply any disinfectants, such as hydrogen peroxide. It risks slowing healing.
- If the clothes stick to the skin, do not try to remove them. The burn is probably more serious than you think, so call the emergency room urgently. Cut off any clothing, except the one attached to the burn, and place a cold pack or ice pack on the injured spot covered by the clothing for a couple of minutes maximum.
Step 3. Cool the lesion
After washing the affected area, soak it in cold water for 15-20 minutes. Do not use ice or running water as they may cause further damage. Then, wet a cloth with cold water and apply it to the wound, without rubbing. Just spread it over.
- You can prepare the cloth by moistening it with tap water and placing it in the refrigerator until it cools.
- Don't apply butter. It won't help cool the wound, but it can actually encourage infections.
Step 4. Prevent infections
To prevent the burn from becoming infected, you need to take care of it once you have cooled it. With a clean finger or a cotton ball, apply an antibiotic ointment based on neomycin or bacitracin. If the wound is open, use non-stick gauze as the fibers of the cotton wool can stick together. Then, cover the burned area with a non-stick bandage. Change the dressing once or twice a day.
- If blisters form, don't break them.
- If your skin starts to itch during the healing process, don't scratch or it could get infected. Burnt skin is very sensitive to infections.
- You can also apply an ointment made from aloe vera, cocoa butter, and mineral oil to relieve itching.
Step 5. Relieve the pain
Any minor burn causes pain. Once medicated and covered, keep the affected area elevated above the height of the heart. This position will decrease swelling and soothe the pain. If it continues to hurt, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tachipirina) or ibuprofen (Brufen or Moment). Take it several times a day following the instructions until the pain subsides.
- The recommended dose for acetaminophen is 650 mg every 4-6 hours, with a maximum of 3250 mg per day.
- The recommended dose for ibuprofen is 400 to 800 mg every 6 hours, with a maximum of 3200 mg per day.
- Always read the dosage instructions given in the package leaflet because the doses may vary depending on the company and the active ingredient.
Part 3 of 3: Treating a Severe Burn
Step 1. Call the emergency services
If you think you've gotten a fairly severe (third or fourth degree) burn, you need to get help right away. You can't treat it yourself, but you need to get medical attention. Call the emergency room if the injury:
- It is profound and troubling;
- It is more serious than a first degree burn and the last tetanus vaccination was more than five years ago;
- It is larger than 7.5 cm or covers every part of the body;
- Has signs of infection, including worsening redness or pain and discharge, or is accompanied by fever
- It is localized on a person who is less than five years old or over 70 years old;
- It affects someone who has difficulty fighting infections because they have contracted HIV, are on immunosuppressive drugs, have diabetes, or have liver disease.
Step 2. Rescue the victim
If you have to deal with a burned person, check their ability to react and then call the emergency services. If she doesn't react or is in shock, let the emergency room staff know what to expect.
If not breathing, perform CPR until the ambulance arrives
Step 3. Remove the clothes
While you wait for help to arrive, remove all tight clothing and jewelry that are on or near the burn site, leaving behind any that could adhere to the injury. Otherwise, you risk lifting the skin in the burned area and damaging it further.
- Place a cold compress around metal jewelry, such as rings or bracelets that are more difficult to remove, as the metal helps spread heat to surrounding areas and makes the burn worse.
- You can cut loose clothing around the areas of the skin it adheres to.
- Stay or keep the victim warm because severe burns can promote thermal shock.
- Unlike milder burns, do not immerse the site of a severe burn in water, otherwise you could cause hypothermia. If it is on a limb, raise it above the height of the heart to prevent or reduce swelling.
- Don't take any pain relievers, don't break blisters, don't scratch dead skin, and don't apply any ointments. All of these remedies are likely to interfere with medical treatment.
Step 4. Cover the burn
After taking off your clothes, cover the wound with clean, non-stick bandages. They will prevent infections from developing. Do not use any material that is likely to stick to the burn. Use non-stick gauze or a moistened bandage.
