Burn

• First degree burn

~ Limited to the outer layer of the skin , causing it to be dry , red and painful , but without blistering .

• Second degree or partial thickness burn

~ More serious , and involves blistering of the skin .
~ Is painful and unlike a first degree burn , the affected skin will likely appear to be moist .

• Third degree burn

~ Also known as a full thickness burn .
~ Is when all of the skin layers have been penetrated and the burned area will be white , charred , firm and leathery .
~ Nerve endings are destroyed .
~ Victim may not feel pain in the burned area .
~ There are also deeper degree burns , which extend down to muscle and or bone .

~ if a burn is not treated carefully , can lead to infections or difiguration .
~ minor burns , soaked the area in the cold water .
~ symptoms will subside within a few hours , some persist for several days .
~ do not put ice , butter or any ointments on the burn .
~ do not break any blister that have formed .
~ home remedy skin soother ( butter ) on a burn can actually slow healing .

~ clean the area with plain soap and water and patted dry .
~ apply an antibacterial ointment .
~ place a sterile dressing ( non - stick gauze ) over the burned area before a gauze roll is wrapped around it .
~ cover it completely with a sterile , dry bandage if the wound 's small enough .
~ many burns cases need to undergo cleaning and debridement , which involves removing devitalised tissue around the wound .
~ after debridement , an antimicrobial ointment ( silvadene ) is applied to the burned area . It is covered with a gauze dressing .
~ see a burn specialist if a burn is not healing within two weeks or becomes infected developing redness and a discharge .
~ serious burns that cover a large area of the body , cover the burns with a clean dry sheet until professional help is available .
~ burn that covers more than 10 % of the total body surface area ( TBSA ) is considered to be a critical burn , except for first degree burns .
~ palm size ( not including fingers ) is roughly 1 % of TBSA .