Cool the burn You should do this as soon as possible after the injury. Never use ice, iced water, creams or greasy substances like butter on a burn.
Burns are now commonly classified as superficial, superficial partial thickness, deep partial thickness and full thickness. A systematic approach to burn care focuses on the six “Cs”: clothing, cooling, cleaning, chemoprophylaxis, covering and comforting (i.e., pain relief).
Cool the burn with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes as soon as possible after the injury. Never use ice, iced water, or any creams or greasy substances like butter. Keep yourself or the person warm.
Don't: Use home remedies like bleach or butter on any burn. Apply ointments or creams on any burn that might be partial- or full-thickness. Use ice on burns (this can actually make the burn worse).
Do not apply creams or ointments, and do not pop burn blisters, as this can cause infection. Avoid adhesive bandages; they can stick to the skin and cause further damage. Instead, loosely cover the wound with a clean, dry, non-adhesive wrap or dressing. Serious burns require emergency care.
The Vaseline label clearly states that this product is intended for minor burns and, indeed, our research has proved that the product supports the healthy healing of minor burns as it protects the damaged area from bacteria while not interfering with the healing process (see bmj.com for evidence).
You should do this as soon as possible after the injury. Never use ice, iced water, creams or greasy substances like butter on a burn.
Honey. Honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it's no surprise people have used it to treat burns throughout history. But you shouldn't use just any honey from your cupboard to treat a burn. However, dressings with medical-grade honey can be an effective treatment.
Place the burned area under running water slightly colder than room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pain eases. Or put a cool, clean, damp cloth on the burn. Be aware that the burned area may swell. Remove tight items, such as rings or clothing, from the burned area as quickly as possible.
NEOSPORIN® Burn Relief First Aid Antibiotic Ointment helps relieve minor burn pain while allowing burns to heal properly by preventing infection. This topical first-aid ointment features a maximum-strength, no-sting formula to help soothe and reduce pain of minor burns, such as cooking burns.
General information. All burn patients should initially be treated with the principles of Advanced Burn and/or Trauma Life Support. The ABC's (airway, breathing, circulation) of trauma take precedent over caring for the burn. Search for other signs of trauma.
You might've heard that mustard can help heal a burn, but there's no scientific proof that this is the case. In fact, putting mustard on a burn may make your symptoms worse and damage your skin even further. Chemicals in mustard liquid or powder may irritate your skin and eyes.
Vinegar has been proven to ease minor burn and sunburn pain, itching and inflammation. Vinegar also balances the pH (acid or alkalinity) of burned skin. All vinegar will actually treat your burn pain, but unfortunately, after the initial soothing of any minor pain, vinegar cannot make your burn heal faster.
Relief for Minor Burns
After cooling, dry the burn gently and apply a layer of NEOSPORIN® + Burn Relief First Aid Antibiotic Ointment. Protect the burn from rubbing and pressure with non-stick gauze that can be held in place with tape or wrap. Change the dressing daily.
Avoid placing ice directly on the skin because this can damage the skin further. Avoid soaking the burn longer than 15 minutes. Clean the area — Remove any clothing from the burned area. If clothing is stuck to the skin, do not try to remove it, and seek emergency medical care.
Medical honey dressings should keep the honey in contact with the wound for at least 12 h, but preferably for 24 h. Some patients apply the wound dressing overnight, so as not to restrict their mobility during the day. If the dressing is inappropriate, the honey may be washed out of the wound by exudate.
Conclusion: Honey dressings make the wounds sterile in less time, enhance healing, and have a better outcome in terms of hypertropic scars and postburn contractures, as compared to SSD dressings.
A study published in the Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries notes that applying toothpaste to a burn is a "potentially harmful" treatment that can "worsen the burn." Toothpaste can intensify the burn's pain and increase the risk of infection and scarring.
It is also an effective moisturizing agent. For this reason, aloe vera gel has gained tremendous popularity for relief of burns. In one study, burn sites treated with aloe healed completely in less than 16 days compared to 19 days for sites treated with silver sulfadiazine.
It is important to properly treat them to avoid scarring or prolonged discomfort. “While you should work to cool a burn immediately after it occurs, never place ice on it,” warns APRN Lee. “Because ice is extremely cold, it can actually cause damage to the skin tissue and increase your risk of an infection.”
You may put a thin layer of ointment, such as petroleum jelly or aloe vera, on the burn. The ointment does not need to have antibiotics in it. Some antibiotic ointments can cause an allergic reaction. Do not use cream, lotion, oil, cortisone, butter, or egg white.
After a burn heals, applying coconut oil topically may be helpful for reconditioning and moisturizing the skin.
While petroleum jelly has many benefits, it shouldn't be used for everything. Avoid putting petroleum jelly on your face if you are acne-prone, as this may cause breakouts in some people. If you have questions about your skin or how to take care of it, see a board-certified dermatologist.