Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentWhen to Call a ProviderPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
When to Call a Provider
Prevention
Steam burns can happen on any exposed area of skin. They can also affect the eyes ormucous membranesin your mouth, nose, andwindpipe.
This article discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of steam burns. It also looks at the steps to take after you or someone else has been burned.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Causes of Steam Burns
When water reaches the boiling point, it turns to steam. The boiling point is 212 degrees F.
Steam is made up of superheated water molecules. When they contact body tissues, they can scald almost instantly.
Steam can cause worse burns than hot water. This is because when steam touches your skin, it turns back into liquid. When this happens, it releases energy. That energy, along with the heat itself, contributes to how bad the burn is.
2:04Click Play to Learn How to Prevent Steam Burns
2:04
Click Play to Learn How to Prevent Steam Burns
Household Appliances
When water turns to steam, it expands to approximately 1,600 times its previous volume. Steam can escape under pressure. This means it may come out in a jet that can cause injury.
Many appliances are designed to use steam under pressure, including:
Steam can be easily inhaled. Superheated molecules can travel deep into your nose, mouth, and throat. This is why vaporizers can be dangerous, especially for children.
There is no evidence that vaporizers are helpful for treating viruses or other respiratory infections.They can also cause steam burns of the skin and airways. For these reasons, they aren’t recommended.
There is no evidence that vaporizers are helpful for treating viruses or other respiratory infections.
They can also cause steam burns of the skin and airways. For these reasons, they aren’t recommended.
In microwave ovens, the water molecules in food can turn to steam. When the steam expands, it can shoot out of solid foods. This is why food sometimes “pops” in the microwave.
People who have conditions that lead toseizuresare at similar risk.
Risks for Children
Kids are more likely to put their hands or faces into escaping steam. This can cause a steam burn on exposed skin.
This type of exposure can also cause other serious problems, likeepiglottitis.This is a condition where tissue in the windpipe becomes swollen. In children, symptoms can come on quickly. The condition can be fatal and requires immediate medical attention.
Steam Burn Symptoms By Severity
Burns are categorized on a sliding scale of severity. The scale is based on the size of the burned area and how deep the burn went into the skin. This is called the"degree" of the burn. Burns are either first, second, or third-degree.
Steam burns can be especially dangerous if the steam is inhaled. This is also true if it contacts the eyes.Symptoms of an inhalation injury include:
People who receive steam burns to the eyes may experience vision loss.
Diagnosis of Steam Burns
Steam burns are diagnosed based on:
The steam burn will be diagnosed as a first-degree (redness, no blisters), second-degree (often many blisters), or third-degree (skin may slough or shed and area may go numb).
How to Treat a Steam Burn
After a steam burn, take these steps at once and in this order:
Remove the Threat
The most important step for any burn injury is to get rid of the cause. This is true if you have been burned or if you are helping someone else who has been burned.
Stop the Burn Process
The burn process will continue even after the source of heat has been removed. It is very important to cool down the area to stop this process.
Run cool tap water over the burned area. The cool water will reduce the temperature of the burn.
Keep doing this until the burned area feels cool to the touch. It is important to continue even after the patient starts to feel better.
You may need to keep flushing the injury with cool water for as long as 20 minutes. This is the only way to completely stop the burn process and prevent the injury from getting worse.
Call 911 if the steam burn or scald includes:The faceAn entire handAn entire footThe genitaliaIf the patient becomes short of breath at any time after a steam injury, call 911 at once. Steam in the throat can cause swelling in the airway, even hours after the injury.
Call 911 if the steam burn or scald includes:
If the patient becomes short of breath at any time after a steam injury, call 911 at once. Steam in the throat can cause swelling in the airway, even hours after the injury.
Cover and Transport
The rule of nines can help you decide if you need to call 911. Under this rule, 9% of the body is roughly equal to:
An Overview of Steam Burns
At-Home Care
If the patient does not need an ambulance, take the following steps:
How to Treat a Burn
Medical Treatment
Emergency doctors may decide to send the patient to a burn center. At the burn center, treatment may includedebridement. This is a procedure that removes dead tissue toreduce scarring. Intravenous (IV) pain medication may also be needed. This is medication that is given through the veins.
A patient may spend up to two or three weeks in a burn center.
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
If more than 9% of a person’s body has a steam burn or the burn is on the face or another sensitive area, call 911 for transport to a burn center. If a person with a steam burn becomes short of breath, seek immediate medical care.
If there are any blisters that rupture or the skin is peeling, call a healthcare provider to have it evaluated.
It’s also important to look for signs of infection. This may include a fever, drainage orpus, or a change in the appearance of the injury. If you suspect an infection, seek urgent medical care.
How to Prevent a Steam Burn
In the home, most burns happen in the kitchen. This is especially true for steam burns and other scalds. Cooking involves heat, which makes it inherently risky.
Take these steps to prevent steam burns and other scalds in the kitchen:
Steam burns and other scalds can also happen in other parts of the house. Use caution in the bathroom, laundry room, or any part of the home where you use a hot appliance.
Set water heaters to 120 degrees F.For small children, keep bathwater to about 100 degrees F. Higher temperatures may lead to scalds.
Summary
Steam burns can be much worse than hot water burns. Steam can cause injury when it escapes in jets. It can also be inhaled. The risk is particularly high for children and adults with certain medical conditions.
First-, Second-, and Third-Degree Burns
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Burn Association.Scald statistics and data resources.Singh M, Singh M, Jaiswal N, Chauhan A.Heated, humidified air for the common cold.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;8:CD001728. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001728.pub6Bagirathan S, Rao K, Al-Benna S, O’Boyle CP.Facial burns from exploding microwaved foods: case series and review.Burns. 2016;42(2):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2015.02.014Kudchadkar SR, Hamrick JT, Mai CL, Berkowitz I, Tunkel D.The heat is on…thermal epiglottitis as a late presentation of airway steam injury.J Emerg Med. 2013;46(2):e43-6. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.08.033MedlinePlus.Burns.Al Himdani S, Javed MU, Hughes J, et al.Home remedy or hazard?: management and costs of paediatric steam inhalation therapy burn injuries.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(644):e193-9. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X684289Burn Institute.Scald burns: safety tips and info.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Burn prevention.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Burn Association.Scald statistics and data resources.Singh M, Singh M, Jaiswal N, Chauhan A.Heated, humidified air for the common cold.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;8:CD001728. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001728.pub6Bagirathan S, Rao K, Al-Benna S, O’Boyle CP.Facial burns from exploding microwaved foods: case series and review.Burns. 2016;42(2):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2015.02.014Kudchadkar SR, Hamrick JT, Mai CL, Berkowitz I, Tunkel D.The heat is on…thermal epiglottitis as a late presentation of airway steam injury.J Emerg Med. 2013;46(2):e43-6. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.08.033MedlinePlus.Burns.Al Himdani S, Javed MU, Hughes J, et al.Home remedy or hazard?: management and costs of paediatric steam inhalation therapy burn injuries.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(644):e193-9. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X684289Burn Institute.Scald burns: safety tips and info.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Burn prevention.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Burn Association.Scald statistics and data resources.Singh M, Singh M, Jaiswal N, Chauhan A.Heated, humidified air for the common cold.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;8:CD001728. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001728.pub6Bagirathan S, Rao K, Al-Benna S, O’Boyle CP.Facial burns from exploding microwaved foods: case series and review.Burns. 2016;42(2):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2015.02.014Kudchadkar SR, Hamrick JT, Mai CL, Berkowitz I, Tunkel D.The heat is on…thermal epiglottitis as a late presentation of airway steam injury.J Emerg Med. 2013;46(2):e43-6. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.08.033MedlinePlus.Burns.Al Himdani S, Javed MU, Hughes J, et al.Home remedy or hazard?: management and costs of paediatric steam inhalation therapy burn injuries.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(644):e193-9. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X684289Burn Institute.Scald burns: safety tips and info.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Burn prevention.
American Burn Association.Scald statistics and data resources.
Singh M, Singh M, Jaiswal N, Chauhan A.Heated, humidified air for the common cold.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;8:CD001728. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001728.pub6
Bagirathan S, Rao K, Al-Benna S, O’Boyle CP.Facial burns from exploding microwaved foods: case series and review.Burns. 2016;42(2):e9-e12. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2015.02.014
Kudchadkar SR, Hamrick JT, Mai CL, Berkowitz I, Tunkel D.The heat is on…thermal epiglottitis as a late presentation of airway steam injury.J Emerg Med. 2013;46(2):e43-6. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.08.033
MedlinePlus.Burns.
Al Himdani S, Javed MU, Hughes J, et al.Home remedy or hazard?: management and costs of paediatric steam inhalation therapy burn injuries.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(644):e193-9. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X684289
Burn Institute.Scald burns: safety tips and info.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Burn prevention.
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