What is first aid for second degree burns?

Answer 1

If the burn involves large areas of skin (the palm of your hand is considered 1% of your skin), please go to the nearest Emergency Room or Burn Center immediately. 2nd degree burns have blisters. 3rd degree burns need Emergency Room immediately!

If there is debris on the burn, rinse it off as gently as you can with cool or cold water, if the burn victim wants it cold, (but not warm and certainly not hot water). Do not apply ice to any burn (Putting ice directly on skin, let alone a burn can cause frostbite, which will give you 2 kinds of burn and damage your skin even more), and then immediately wash and blot dry the burn, (please use a non-perfumed type of soap) apply Aloe Vera gel (Aloe Vera barbadensis) in a thick layer to the burn if you have Aloe Vera gel available. Next, keep it moist with the Aloe Vera until and as the blisters form. If you have no Aloe Vera, make a note to pick some up at the health food store asap and apply Bacitracin. Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage.Don't use fluffy cotton, which may stick to the burn or skin and need to be picked off. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burned skin, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.

First and Second degree burns are basically a (painful) waiting game. Your body will start to try to heal them immediately, however, please follow these directions. First degree burns will be a red area. Second degree burns develop like this: First you will have a painful red area with a white area where the burning substance actually made contact with your skin, then, likely within 12 hours or the next day, sometimes sooner, you'll have small blisters that seem to be filled with water. These will get somewhat larger, do not worry unless they are not roughly the same color as your skin. By this I mean if they turn green or black or have pus in them/coming from them or (far worse!!) red streaks appear from them towards your heart, please go to an Emergency Room or dial 911 immediately.

Do not repeat do not pop the blisters - do not pop the blisters! Why? First, the skin over them is alive, not dead skin so popping them will cause more trauma to an already injured area. Second, they are not filled with water but rather with a mixture of liquids that your body has created in response to the burn. This liquid has antibacterial properties!! Finally, they are protecting the growth of new skin under that blister, so popping them leaves the raw burn and growing new skin open to nasty infections. Burns infect easily, so shield them from sunlight, cigarette smoke, and other irritants. However, blisters can become infected very easily, so pay attention to that burn and its blisters. If the blister opens on it's own, early, just keep the area clean and covered with Bacitracin (Neosporin will also do, but my pharmacist recommended simple Bacitracin, so that's what I use.) and a loose sterile gauze bandage.

The blisters will open on their own when the new skin under the burn is ready. If you pop the blisters, be prepared for far more pain and a higher incidence of infection, as well as a much higher rate of scarring. If you leave the blisters alone, except to keep them moist with Aloe Vera or Bacitracin, loose sterile gauze bandaging and no sun exposure/tanning booths/cigarette smoke, etc, then you will heal faster and better. I speak from experience, having had two 2nd degree sunburns over eighty (80%) per cent of my body. Due to the healing effects of Aloe Vera, I have no scars at all, after many impressive sunburns!

When the blisters pop (assuming here that they are smaller than a US quarter dollar coin) again, wash the area GENTLY with soap and tepid water, blot dry. Trim away any dead skin, the skin over the blisters has done its job and can be safely trimmed away. Apply an antibiotic skin ointment - Bacitracin is highly recommended by my pharmacist, and a loose sterile dressing. Change the dressing when bathing (after the bath, if you must shower then try your hardest to keep soap and water off the burn), and if it becomes stuck to the skin (this usually only happens when the blisters are opened early or ruptured), wet it with CLEAN water and gently wash the dressing off. Use GAUZE, you want the burns to get some air.

Silvadene creme is a sovereign remedy for burns however it is by prescription only. Aloe Vera gel will keep the burns moist, stop up to 2nd degree burn pain remarkably fast and can be re-hydrated with a little sprinkle of water. The bigger the burns the more likely it is that you should be attended by a doctor, do not let a doctor/nurse pop blisters either (at least ask why they want them removed if they are 'healthy' blisters - always be your own advocate in any hospital situation), as they are 'natures bandage' and nature put them there for a reason. If you have 3rd degree burns, then these directions do NOT apply, please go to the hospital IMMEDIATELY and follow the directions they give you there. I wish you Happy healing!!

Answer 2

For first degree burns, cool the burned area with cold water (not ice) for at least fifteen minutes. Wrap it loosely in dry, clean dressing. For second degree burns, Cool the burn in cold water (not ice) and elevate the burned area. Wrap loosely in a dry, clean dressing. Don't pop blisters, or peel loose skin.

Answer 3

Run the burn under cool water. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a paper towel. You may apply Aloe Vera gel.

Answer 4

ice