Whether you got a minor burn on your hand while taking a pan out of the oven—or something more serious—administering good burn wound care can help you heal from your injury and prevent infection.
This blog article discusses the causes of most burns, how to treat minor burns at home, and when to see a doctor for more severe burn wound care.
When you get burned, the heat destroys your skin cells and creates a blister that covers the injured area. Beneath that blistered layer, your white blood cells work to grow a new layer of skin. Burns are among the most common injuries in homes and the workplace.
According to the American Burn Association, about 500,000 burn injuries are treated every year, with the most common causes being:
Burn wound care is always vital for safe healing and to prevent scarring. The more serious the burn, the more critical it is to administer proper care.
With severe burns, the new skin can’t grow fast enough to keep bacteria out, which can sometimes cause an infection. Because of this, some serious burns may need to be treated with skin grafts.
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Burns are categorized by their severity, from first-degree to fourth-degree burns, as follows:
You can treat most first-degree and second-degree burns (smaller than three inches in diameter) at home. Third- and fourth-degree burns should be considered a medical emergency, and you should immediately go to the hospital for treatment.
Minor burns can take a week or two to heal and typically don’t cause scarring. Burn wound care aims to reduce pain, prevent infection, and help the skin heal faster.
The following home remedies can help your minor burn heal safely:
More severe burns should be treated by a medical professional. You should see a doctor if you believe you may have sustained a third- or fourth-degree burn or you notice any of the following:
If you believe your burn is significant enough for medical attention but not bad enough that you need to go to the emergency room, you can get walk-in care at one of our Express Medical Center locations seven days a week.
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Severe burns need to be treated in the emergency room immediately. But, what should you do until you can get there?
Here are some tips for keeping burn victims safe until they can get to the ER:
Read on for some commonly asked questions about burn wound care and how to ensure your burns heal correctly.
Burns are considered open wounds and should be covered to keep the area sterile and free from bacteria.
You should treat a minor burn by washing the area with mild soap and cool water and then applying a clean, dry bandage to the burn. You can also add antibiotic ointment to the dressing to help prevent infection.
As your burn heals, inspect the dressing at least every 24 hours to ensure it’s clean and dry. If drainage comes through the dressing, change it and apply extra layers of sterile gauze.
You can also apply ointments or creams as recommended by your doctor. Just be sure to put the ointment on the dressing, not directly on the burn itself.
Depending on the severity of your burn, the healing process will include one or more of these three phases:
As an award-winning member of the Healogics network of Wound Care Centers, the Logansport Memorial Wound Care Center offers highly specialized wound care for patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections, and other chronic wounds.
You can be referred for burn wound care by your doctor or schedule an appointment directly with our expert team to begin your healing journey.