Medical Resources: A Guide to Skin Burns

A burn is a type of injury to the skin caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, or radiation. Most burns simply affect top layers of skin (dermis and epidermal tissues), while severe burns can go to deeper tissues such as muscle, blood vessels, and bone. Heat burns can be a result from fire, hot water or other hot items. The treatment will depend on how severe the burns are, such as in first, second, or third degree burns. Chemical burns are typically caused by acidic substances, such as dyes, chemicals or cleansers. Electrical burns can be deceiving as they may cause more internal damage, then external, as the electricity passes through the body. Radiation burns can be caused by high exposure to X-rays or commonly by UV radiation in the form of a sunburn.

First degree burns are generally red and painful, but are not cause for serious alarm and can be treated at home using aloe vera and burn creams. Similar to that of a sunburn, first degree burns can be peeled and will usually subside within a few days. First degree burns can be soaked in cool water to ease the pain and coated with antibacterial ointment and dry gauze. Second degree burns go deeper into the skin and can be very painful and form blisters. The skin surrounding the burn may swell and appear blotchy. Second degree burns can typically be treated at home by soaking the skin and applying antibiotic cream, as well as a dressing. If the burn is located on the face, groin, hands or feet, seek medical attention. Third degree burns are the most severe and can damage multiple layers of skin. There may be no pain accompanied by this type of burn as the nerves are usually charred. Third degrees burns require medical attention and typically take a long time to completely heal.

According to the United States Fire Administration, there are more than 1.25 million burn injuries each year. From this number, there are between 8,000 and 12,000 burn injury patients who will die from their injuries. Nearly 1 million of these burn injury victims will have life-long permanent disabilities. This breaks down to approximately 41,000 burns related to heat, 16,500 burns related to work in retail trades, 9,500 burns related to manufacturing, 8,600 burns related to the service industry, and 15,700 burns due to chemicals. There are several ways to prevent burns. Simple tasks such as cooking on the rear burners of the stove, turning pan handles toward the wall, avoid the use of electrical devices in wet environments, using sunscreen when outdoors, using caution when handling chemicals and household cleaners, and keeping potential dangers out of reach of children.

Trauma/Burn Education: Watch lecture videos on how to diagnosis and treat various types of burns.
Burn Prevention Foundation: The Burn Prevention Foundation provides burn injury education and prevention.
What is a Burn?: Here you will find information on what a burn is, the depth of first, second, and third degree burns, and house and fire safety and prevention.
Fire and Burn Prevention: The Burn Institute has burn survivor support, fire and burn prevention, and research and treatment programs for the public.
House Safety Council: Find fire and burn information for all ages, as well as how to be keep your home safe from fires.
Scald and Burn Care: Review facts and figures of hospitalization for burn injury patients, as well as safety tips and precautions to take at home and work.
Medline Plus: Start the interactive tutorial, self playing tutorial, or text summary on burn education.
Family Education: Families can learn first aid for burns and the symptoms of first, second, and third degree burns.
Pediatric Associates: Learn about the various treatments of minor burns for infants, children, and adolescents.
Skin Care for Burns: Burn victims can learn what to directly following a burn, after the initial 20 minutes, and when to seek medical attention.
Family Doctor: Watch a video on first aid for burns and read information providing information on what each degree of burns look like.
Medline Plus: Learn about the three levels of burns, considerations, causes, symptoms, and first aid for minor and major burns.
Web MD: Here you will find a pain management guide on first, second and third degree burns and their severity.
Burns and Blisters: Those with burn injuries can learn about the affected layers of skin and how new cells are created to replace burnt skin.
Complementary Medicine: Learn signs and symptoms of burn injuries, including infection, dehydration, and burn patterns.
Baby Center: Parents of infants should learn what to do in case their baby gets seriously burned.
Emergency Preparedness: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide burn statistics and how to safeguard your home.
Burns Fact Sheet: Find burn basics like how your body reacts to a severe burn and the prognosis of severe burn victims.
Burn Emergencies: Learn about the classifications of burns, including thermal, chemical, electrical, light, and radiation.
Prevent Scalds and Burns: Watch this video on how to prevent scalds and burns from the U.S. Fire Administration.
Burn Survivor: This medical care guide presents information about the classifications of burns, including first degree, second degree, third degree, and inhalation injuries.
Kids Health: Learn about the common causes of burns, types of burns, and print out a burn instruction sheet to hang in your home.
Types of Burns: Find photographs and descriptions for each type burn, including superficial and partial thickness burns.
Web Quest for Kids: Children can learn about general care for burns, and the various types including thermal, chemical, electrical, and solar radiation burns.
Chemical Burns: Here you will find general information on chemical burns and the common acids and products that cause them.
Burn Pain: Find out how to relieve mild or severe pain that is caused by the various types of burns.
Wrong Diagnosis: Learn about the complications that can arise from burns and how to prevent burns from occurring.
Thermal Burn Injury: Find general information on acute thermal burn injuries and how to treat them.
Burns Q and A: Get the answers to your burn injury questions, including information on diagnoses, treatment, and related topics.
First Degree Burns: Learn what cause first degree burns, treatment, and self-care tips.
Electrical Burns: Find information on burns and other injuries from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Ultraviolet Radiation Burns: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration presents an alert about how ultraviolet radiation burns can occur from metal halide and mercury vapor.
American Burn Association: Review the Burn Incidence Fact Sheet to learn about burn injuries that occur yearly.
Children’s Hospital: Here you will find fire safety and burn injury statics, as well as injury and death rates.
Tap Water Burn: Find tap water burn resources and information on the dangers of overheated tap water.
Fire Safety and Burns: Review injury statistics and incidence rates relating to burns.
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Safety and Prevention: Learn how families can prevent burns in the home.
Household Safety: Find tips on how to prevent burns, shocks, and fire in the home.
Childhood Burns: Parents can find advice and tips on how to prevent childhood burns and review statistics.