• Login
  • Contact
  • COVID-19
  • Share
  • Facebook
  • Vimeo
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
MedcorMedcorMedcorMedcor
  • About
    • Medcor Health Navigation
    • Leadership
    • Wellness
    • Mission, Vision and Values
  • Services
    • Onsite Clinic
    • Telehealth
    • Safety
    • Support Services
  • Resources
    • Press Releases
    • Insights
    • Technology
  • Careers
    • Culture
    • Equal Employment and Diversity

Burns

    Home Health Tips Burns
    Next Previous
    Burns

    Burns

    By Ahna A. Patterson, PA-C | Comments are Closed | 24 June, 2020 0

    Burns are a leading cause of accidental injury and death in the United States. Approximately one million people annually seek care for burns and one-third of those patients present to the emergency room for care. Smaller, non-life-threatening burns comprise the majority of burns, but some burns can cause death if individuals do not seek immediate treatment.

    Types of Burns

    When you think of burns, you may first think of fire and burns caused by open flames. But burns can also be caused by scalding liquids (e.g., spilling hot coffee), hot vapors or gases (e.g., steam issuing from a boiling pot), contact with hot surfaces (e.g., asphalt on a hot summer day), electricity (e.g., arc flash incidents), radiation (e.g., sunburns), and chemicals (e.g., exposure to industrial cleaners).

    The severity of a burn is assessed by how deeply the burn penetrates the skin, the size of the burn, the location of the burn on the body, the age of the burn victim, and whether the victim has any preexisting conditions or has sustained other injuries in addition to the burn (such as smoke inhalation). Burn assessment can be challenging for healthcare providers who are not specially trained in burn care. Consultation with a Burn Specialist and care in a specialized burn unit may be warranted for certain burns.

    Historically, burns were classified as first degree, second degree, and third-degree burns; while these designations are still around, presently, the preference is to classify burns as superficial, partial-thickness, and full-thickness.

    Superficial Burns

    • Involve only the outer layer of skin
    • Skin can appear dry and red
    • Healing time can be 3 – 6 days

    Superficial Partial-Thickness Burns

    • Skin can appear red, moist or weeping, often with blisters
    • Healing time can be 7 – 20 days

    Deep Partial-Thickness Burns

    • Skin can appear wet or waxy dry, with open blisters, and can be a variety of colors
    • Healing time is more than 21 days

    Full-Thickness Burns

    • Skin can appear waxy white, leathery gray, charred, or black; dry and not elastic
    • If more than 2% total body surface area is affected, the skin never heals
    • Only deep pressure can be felt by individuals and they generally have no pain sensation
    • These burns require specialized care and have prolonged healing time or may never heal

    Treatment

    Superficial burns can be treated by running cool water over the affected area and loosely covering the burn with a sterile, non-adhesive bandage. Because burns impact the body’s ability to regulate heat, never use ice or cold water on a burn—doing so can increase the risk of shock or hypothermia. Be careful not to peel away dead skin from a burn; this can cause scarring and/or infection. Use over-the-counter pain relievers if needed for pain.

    Always consult your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about the severity, size, depth, or location of a burn. Even minor burns may require treatment in a burn unit, and burns that are more severe may require skin grafting and surgery. Every burn should be monitored closely for signs of infection (increased pain, fever, oozing blisters, swelling). People with burns are vulnerable to contracting tetanus; tetanus boosters are usually recommended if not up-to-date.

    Call 911 and seek emergency medical care if you or someone you are with experience a burn that is deep; is larger than three inches; is located on the face, groin, buttocks, feet, or hands; and/or causes the skin to appear charred, leathery, black, brown, or white.

    This article is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition or to give medical advice. Always consult your primary care provider for healthcare instructions. External links are provided as references and do not indicate an endorsement by Medcor. External links are subject to other sites’ terms of use and privacy policies.

    References

    Arek Wiktor, David Richards, “Treatment of minor thermal burns,” UpToDate, updated December 9, 2019.

    Mayo Clinic, “Burns: First aid”

    Michel H. E. Hermans, “An Introduction to Burn Care,” Advances in Skin & Wound Care, January 2019.

    Phillip L. Rice, Dennis P. Orgill, “Emergency care of moderate and severe thermal burns in adults,” UpToDate, updated October 1, 2019.

    WebMD, “Thermal Burns Treatment”

    Wound Source, “Burns, Superficial (First-Degree).”

    Authored by: Ahna Patterson

    Share
    burns, radiation, safety

    Ahna A. Patterson, PA-C

    More posts by Ahna A. Patterson, PA-C

    Related Post

    • How Drinking Soda Impacts Your Health

      By Danielle Olipra

      Soda pairs almost too well with salty snacks to quench your thirst. The sweet taste is satisfying, and it is available almost anywhere you go. But the convenient option is not the healthiest option, soRead more

      Share

    • Ladder Safety Month

      By Danielle Olipra

      March is National Ladder Safety Month and as always, Medcor is thinking about all the hard workers we support and their safety on the job. Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the constructionRead more

      Share

    • Healthy Habits For Your Heart

      By Danielle Olipra

      February is National Heart Month. The World Health Organization reports cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, killing over 17 million people each year. The principles that guide you to a healthyRead more

      Share

    • Common Steps to Manage Diabetes

      By Danielle Olipra

      It is estimated by the CDC that over 34 million Americans have diabetes, and over the last 20 years, the number of U.S. adults diagnosed with diabetes has doubled due to increasing obesity, inactivity, andRead more

      Share

    • Your Workspace and Your Health

      By Danielle Olipra

      You spend a lot of time in your workspace, but have you thought about using your workspace to give you the best foundation to do your job? You could be setting yourself up for betterRead more

      Share

    NextPrevious

    Recent Posts

    • How Drinking Soda Impacts Your Health
    • Ladder Safety Month
    • Healthy Habits For Your Heart
    • Common Steps to Manage Diabetes
    • Your Workspace and Your Health
    Medcor
    Medcor provides health navigation through integrated services that include onsite and mobile clinics, injury triage, telemedicine, and safety staffing and training. Medcor helps employers and their employees navigate the complexities of healthcare to achieve better physical and financial outcomes across the United States and Canada.

    Insights

    • The ROI of Onsite Medical Clinics in the Construction Industry
      May 23, 2023
    • The Cost of Not Investing in Employee Wellbeing Programs
      May 17, 2023
    • What is Mental Health First Aid and How Can Companies Implement it?
      April 12, 2023

    Contact Us

    HQ Location
    4805 Prime Parkway
    McHenry, IL 60050

    Postal Address
    P.O. Box 550
    McHenry, IL 60051

    Call

    HQ: (815) 363-9500
    Sales: (888) 295-5180
    Media: (815) 759-5442


    Email

    Sales: sales@medcor.com
    Job Inquiry: recruiters@medcor.com
    Media: media@medcor.com
    Website Manager: websupport@medcor.com
    Copyright © 2023 Medcor, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices: Copyrights, Trademarks, Patents, Terms of Use & Privacy | English Spanish. Healthcare Privacy Policy | English Spanish
    • About
      • Medcor Health Navigation
      • Leadership
      • Wellness
        • Eat Real Food
        • Get Your Sleep
        • Handle Your Hygiene
        • Mind Your Happiness
      • Mission, Vision and Values
    • Services
      • Onsite Clinic
      • Telehealth
      • Safety
      • Health Security
    • Resources
      • Health Tips
      • Insights
      • Technology
    • Contact
      • Existing Customer Services
      • General Information
      • Job Inquiries
      • Media & Public Relations
    • Careers
      • Culture
      • Equal Employment and Diversity
      • Interview and Hiring Process FAQs
      • Apply
    • COVID-19
    Medcor