How To deal with small burns

Does your burn need medical attention?

So you’ve burnt yourself, firstly you need to distinguish whether it needs medical attention. This all depends on the size and depth of the burn.

First degree burns: these are usually superficial or outer layer of the skin. These burns are typically okay.
Second degree burns: affect the deeper layers. Hospital is needed if they are larger than 10cm or on the hands, face, buttocks or across major joints.
Third degree burns: affect all layers of skin and the underlying fat. All cases need to go to hospital.

How do you treat small burns?

Cool the burn down: Rinse your burn under cool running water and do this for at least 10 minutes.
Clothing: Remove clothing around areas of burn, items like shirts and pants. This also applies to tight fitting accessories such as rings and watches.
Apply a dressing to the burn: Apply a dressing like Burnaid First Aid Emergency Burn Dressing to the burn location.
Dealing with pain: If the wound is causing pain, using some over-the-counter pain medication such as Ibuprofen or Paracetamol will help ease the pain. Make sure to read the labels and used as advised, ask the friendly staff at Chemistworks if you need more information or have any questions.
Moisturiser: Applying some form of moisturiser such as John Plunkett Pure Aloe Vera 99% Gel Tube 240ml may help ease pain and aid in the recovery of your burn.
Blisters: Blisters will form as part of the healing process of your burn, make sure not to burst or pop them. If you need to clean or wash the area, make sure to wash it gently.
Swelling: To reduce swelling, the best method is to elevate the burnt appendage.

Chemistworks offers wound care services. If you need consulting on how to treat your burn wound, we offer many services including:

1.    To clean your wound and remove non-viable tissue.

2.    Assess your risk of infection.

3.    Dress your wound with our professional products.

4.    Perform a nutrition and medication assessment.

5.    Teach you how to manage your dressing.

6.    Advise on when to return and how to recognise signs of infection.

7.    At the end of the session, we will provide you with an essential wound care kit for you to take home.

At Chemistworks, our professional staff can assist you with woundcare services and burn-related products. To find any of the products listed in this article, visit our online store or come into your local Chemistworks store.