First Aid For Burns

Electric shocks, chemicals etc. can quickly lead to burns. Knowing what to do about a burn and how to treat the wound is important.

Burns can often occur, especially in your own home. These can be lighter or more severe and in the worst case even fatal. For this reason, you should know what burn first aid should look like and what you can do to help these types of injuries heal quickly.

There are three types of burns

Burn First Aid: What Types of Burns Are There?

In order to know which help is important with burns , you should first know the different types:

First degree: superficial burns that only affect the top layer of skin and cause great pain.
Second degree: deeper burns that affect the first and second layers of skin. The burned area may turn dark red and form blisters.

Third degree: the worst burns that affect all layers of the skin and permanently damage the tissues.

First aid for first degree burns

Cool the skin with cold water for 10 to 30 minutes. This prevents the burn from getting worse or spreading to the other layers of the skin.
Wrap the burned area with a gauze bandage or a cotton cloth. This will help prevent air from reaching the burn and reduce inflammation and pain.
You shouldn’t use ice cold water to relieve the pain.
If the burn is very painful, you can take a pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce the pain.
Be careful not to touch the burn or try to burst the blisters, as this can cause infection.

First aid for second degree burns

Wash immediately with cold water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Under no circumstances should the bubbles burst.
Disinfect with an antiseptic or apply a cream for burns
Then wrap with a clean and dry gauze bandage.

First aid for third degree burns

These burns mainly affect the hands, feet, face, genitals or important joints.

A doctor should be consulted immediately in the event of these burns. While we are waiting for him, we can do the following:

Remove the burned clothing from the patient.
Check the patient’s vital signs, such as breathing or pulse.
Cover the burned areas with a damp and sterile cloth or towel.

Recommendations for treating other burns

When a person is on fire

First aid for burns when a person catches fire

The first thing to do is to delete it. For example, you can throw a jacket or coat on him. Then remove clothing and all objects except clothing that is burned onto the body. Call for medical help immediately.

Electric shock burns

Wash off the burn with plenty of – not too cold – water for 5 minutes. Do not take off your clothes immediately, only after the burn has been cleaned. Place a gauze bandage or sterile compress on top and call for medical attention immediately.

Chemical burns

If it gets on your mouth or eyes, rinse off completely with water and have a doctor examine it immediately.

What you should definitely not do if you have burns

Do not put ice directly on the burned skin, otherwise it will cool down too much and permanent damage such as frostbite may result.
Do not apply ointments or oils that can interfere with the normal healing process.
Do not burst the blisters on the burned skin, otherwise infections can develop.
Do not cover the injury with cotton or a band-aid as this will prevent the wound from breathing and become infected.
It is important not to simply peel off the burnt clothing. This should only be done under medical supervision so that the doctor can clean the wound.

Do not touch bad burns, rather see a doctor as soon as possible.
Never put the following on the wound: toothpaste, butter, talc, lotion, as these will only make the wound worse.

Some burn first aid remedies do not require a doctor

Aloe vera

Alore-Gel has anti-inflammatory effects and accelerates the formation of scars on wounds and burns. The gel can be applied directly from the leaf onto the burn, helping to relieve the pain and heal the wound.

Natural honey

Has antibacterial, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory effects, which are beneficial in the treatment and healing of burns. You should apply a small amount of honey to the affected area.

Marigold

Marigold oil has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It soothes inflammation and promotes healing of injuries and burns. Marigold extract is available in the form of cream, gel, lotion, and oil.