Use a soft wash cloth or piece of gauze to gently remove old medications. A small amount of bleeding is common with dressing changes. Your doctor will decide on the appropriate dressing and ointment. This will be based on the location of the burn, the need to control drainage, and your comfort. This can make pain control much easier and may decrease anxiety about wound care.
These types of dressings include impregnated im-PREG-neyt-ed gauzes, foams, honey, and silver dressings. Many of the currently available dressings are combinations of these categories. There are many different brand names. Your burn care team will determine the most appropriate product to use. They will also decide when to apply and remove it. Larger areas of third degree full thickness burns are treated with skin grafts. This surgery removes dead skin and replaces it with healthy skin from another part of the body.
The grafted skin is often treated with an antibiotic ointment and a nonstick dressing. There are three types of skin grafts. The area of the donor site is similar to a second-degree burn. Most burn providers use one of the advanced wound dressings that can be left in place for 7—14 days while healing occurs.
Any remaining small open areas on the donor site can be treated with antibiotic ointment. Notify your burn provider of any areas of redness, warmth, and increased pain. These can be symptoms of an infection. For more information regarding the care of your wounds, please contact your doctor or therapist so that they can address your specific needs. Johnson, R. Kowalske, K. Honari, S. Disclaimer: This information is not meant to replace the advice of a medical professional.
You should consult your health care provider regarding specific medical concerns or treatment. The contents of this fact sheet do not necessarily represent the policy of Department of Health and Human Services, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
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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.
Scald burns comprise 35 percent of overall injuries admitted to burn centers in the United States. More than 60 percent involve children five years old and younger. These burns are typically a result of exposure to hot tap water or food and beverages heated on a stove or in a microwave. They are extremely painful and potentially life-threatening.
Each year, the UC San Diego Health Regional Burn Center admits approximately patients, from infants to adults, and treats hundreds more as outpatients. The skin is the largest organ of the body. The average adult has 18 square feet of skin, which accounts for 16 percent of total body weight.
Lacerations, abrasions or burns alter the skin's ability to protect and buffer you from your surroundings. The dermis is the thicker underlayer. It contains the sweat glands, hair follicles and nerve endings that feel pain. The subcutaneous tissue or hypodermis is the next layer. This fat layer helps the body to maintain temperature. Underneath the subcutaneous layer is muscle and bone.
A first-degree burn is damage to the first or outer layer of skin epidermis. It is pink, red, dry and painful, but generally mild. An example of a first-degree burn is a sunburn.
If the burn is kept clean and moist, it will usually heal over a week or two. Some peeling will occur and there is no scarring. People should try not to pop any blisters, as the blister is a natural barrier the body forms to protect against infection. A blister may form even under the dressing. While some people find them uncomfortable or unsightly, it is best to take a hands-off approach.
People should protect burnt areas from the sun, as burnt skin is more sensitive to direct sunlight. Applying sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more can also help to prevent scarring.
People with minor burns are often able to treat these injuries at home. A doctor can also provide treatments, such as:. There are different types of burns that range from mild to severe and affect different layers of the skin. A first-degree burn affects the top layer of skin, or epidermis. First-degree burns are minor and do not often cause burn blisters. First-degree burns may feel painful, look red, and may swell slightly. A sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn, or if skin touches something hot very briefly.
People will usually be able to treat first-degree burns at home and find that the burn heals within a week. Second-degree burns are slightly deeper, reaching the second layer of skin, which doctors call the dermis. Second-degree burns look red and often create burn blisters. Second-degree burns can range from mild to severe.
People with mild second-degree burns will usually be able to treat their burn at home. The burn or blister may need medical attention if it is large, causes severe pain, or becomes infected. Third-degree burns are severe, as they damage both the first and second layers of skin, and can damage the tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands that lie under the skin. They're tried and true. Blue lips are most often caused when something is preventing you from getting enough oxygen into your body.
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