Burns
At some point, almost everyone will experience a burn. Not every burn is serious, but they can all be painful. Having some basic first aid skills can help prevent infection and minimize scars when you are dealing with this type of wound.
The tips in this section will help you recognize the different types of burns. You'll find information about treating the most common, first degree burn, along with treatment tips for second degree, and third degree burns.
Tips, Tricks, and Answers
The following articles are available for the 'Burns' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.
Recognizing Types of Burns
Classified according to the amount of tissue they affect and how deep they are, burns are injuries to the tissues of the body, and can be caused by light, cold, heat, chemicals, radiation, friction, or electricity.
Treating First-degree Burns
Exercise good judgment and common sense when treating first-degree burns at home. Know the varying stages of first-degree burns before treating them, and always seek professional medical treatment if first-degree burns cover large portions of the body.
Treating Second-degree Burns
Second-degree burns can take anywhere from 10 days to three weeks to heal. Depending upon the percentage of skin area involved, second-degree burns can be treated at home if you follow the correct treatment plan. If in doubt, always go to the nearest emergency room.
Treating Third-degree Burns
You can offer first aid to a victim of third-degree burns while you are waiting for help to arrive. Third-degree burns result in scarring and can be fatal if they involve a large portion of the body. Never treat third-degree burns at home and, instead, seek professional medical treatment as soon as possible.