A third-degree burn destroys your first three layers of skin and fatty tissue. A third-degree burn may not immediately hurt, but you'll notice your skin is charred-black, dry and leathery. This type of burn is serious and requires treatment by a healthcare provider.
For burns that only affect the outer layers of the skin, the scar tissue fades over time. When the deeper layers of the skin are damaged, it causes more permanent scarring that can have a thick, leathery, or irregular appearance.
Third-degree (full-thickness) burns — Third-degree burns (also called full-thickness burns) extend through all layers of the skin, completely destroying the skin.
A red wound with fresh, brightly colored tissue is a good healing sign. The red color indicates the formation of granulation tissue. Healthy granulation tissue is firm to the touch, slightly shiny, and is one of the first signs of proper wound healing.
Second-degree burns (also known as partial thickness burns) involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of skin. The burn site appears red, blistered, and may be swollen and painful.
Call 911 to seek immediate medical attention for second- and third-degree burns. Paramedics are trained on how best to transport burn victims. But before a burn victim goes to an emergency room, taking a few steps can decrease the severity of the injury.
The skin may appear stiff, waxy white, leathery or gray. These types of burns often need skin grafts to close the wound.
Cover the burn with a clean bandage. Wrap it loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the area, reduces pain and protects blistered skin. If needed, take a nonprescription pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
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.
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.
Depending on the depth of the wound, second-degree burns can take anywhere from one week to several months to heal. Superficial second-degree burn wounds can take from 7-21 days to form the first layer of fragile new skin. This new skin can then take another one to two months to mature back to usual thickness.
Immediately applying cool running water is believed to mitigate the severity of the injury by dissipating thermal energy, stabilizing blood vessels, reducing the release of pro-inflammatory chemicals and influencing cellular responses. “It's a high-value, low-cost way to minimize complications from burn injuries.
If the burn scar is severe or it does not fade in time, a person should also consult their doctor. Applying aloe vera gel, eating a diet rich in antioxidant foods, drinking plenty of water, and taking certain supplements may improve a person's healing process.
After a period of several months to years, the pink color fades to a pale scar; a hypo-pigmented area remains with a slightly altered skin pattern, forming a mature scar. It can take years for the skin to completely recover, sometimes to a (near) normal appearance.
There is no scientific evidence for using mustard to treat burns. In fact, it may actually irritate your skin further. After applying mustard, your skin may feel warm, but that doesn't mean it's healing your skin.
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.
Although SSD is commonly prescribed for the management of burns, numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses found that overall, SSD was inferior to the various agents that it was compared with. Moreover, SSD seemed to have had a negative impact on some of the outcomes related to wound healing.
Antibiotic creams can help prevent infection in the wound and help the burn heal faster. Some topical creams also contain pain-relieving ingredients that may ease discomfort. After applying an antibiotic cream, cover up any exposed blisters to protect the wound from infection.
Here are burn injury do's and don'ts.
Don't: Remove burned clothing that is stuck to the body. Do: Run tap water or room-temperature water over the burn immediately. It stops the burning process, decreases the pain and prevents or reduces swelling. Don't: Use very cold water or ice on a burn.
Scarring is possible with second-degree burns. Not everyone will get a scar after a burn, and scars are more likely if you have a large, more serious burn. Your skin may appear lighter or darker than your natural skin tone after a burn. This is usually a long-term change to your skin tone that may fade over time.
Aloe gel, made from the central part of the aloe leaf, is a common household remedy for minor cuts and burns, as well as sunburns. It can be found in many commercial skin lotions and cosmetics. Aloe contains active compounds that may reduce pain and inflammation and stimulate skin growth and repair.
First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of the skin. They cause pain, redness, and swelling. Second-degree burns affect both the outer and underlying layer of skin. They cause pain, redness, swelling, and blistering.
In lighter-skinned people, superficial burns can look red or pink. In darker-skinned people, burns may take on a reddish tinge or appear lighter than surrounding skin. Partial-thickness burns may also look lighter than surrounding skin as they heal.
Symptoms of Chemical Burns
The area is red, swollen, and painful but does not develop blisters. Sometimes, burns are deeper, with blisters and severe pain. Rarely, a strong acid or alkali will cause a full-thickness (third-degree) burn that damages the skin all the way through.