Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsImmediate StepsWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderTreatmentHealing Stages
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Immediate Steps
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Treatment
Healing Stages
Burns can be minor or life-threatening, which is why knowing first aid treatment for burns is essential. Prompt attention can limit damage and promote healing. Serious burns require emergency treatment.
This article discusses the steps to take for a burn right away and when to seek medical care.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
Types of Burns
Burns fall into three categories based on severity. The types of burns include:
Symptoms of Burns
The symptoms and what the burn looks like will depend on the severity of the burn.
First-Degree
A first-degree burn will be red, painful, and dry, but has no blisters. Mild sunburn is an example.
Second-Degree
The site of a second-degree burn appears red and blistered and may be swollen and painful.
Third-Degree
The area of a third-degree burn appears white or charred. Third-degree burns may not hurt because the nerve endings have been damaged or destroyed.
First Aid Immediately After a Burn
If you or someone around you gets burned, these are some general steps you should take immediately:
See a healthcare provider for a burn if:
When to Call 911 for BurnsIf you see charred or white flesh after a burn—or in the case of any large and severe burns—call 911 immediately. This can be a life-threatening emergency. Do not attempt to treat the burn but do cover it with a sterile or clean cloth. If the person is unconscious or not breathing, and it is safe to do so,perform CPR.
When to Call 911 for Burns
If you see charred or white flesh after a burn—or in the case of any large and severe burns—call 911 immediately. This can be a life-threatening emergency. Do not attempt to treat the burn but do cover it with a sterile or clean cloth. If the person is unconscious or not breathing, and it is safe to do so,perform CPR.
Treatment for Burns
The following are the treatment measures to take for the main types of burns, including first-degree, second-degree, third-degree, chemical, and electrical burns.
Because first-degree burns affect only the surface of the skin they don’t usually require medical care.
If you have a first-degree burn, take the following steps:
If the burn causes pain, you can take over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), to reduce pain and inflammation.
A second-degree burn causes redness, blistering, pain, and swelling.
To treat a second-degree burn, do the following:
Types of Second-Degree Burns
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns, which reach the layers of fat and other structures under the skin, can be life-threatening. If someone has a severe burn with skin that looks charred or white, call 911 or seek medical care immediately.
Third-Degree Burns Without PainRemember, third-degree burns may not be painful if the nerve endings have been damaged. Even if there is no pain, prompt medical care for a severe burn is essential.
Third-Degree Burns Without Pain
Remember, third-degree burns may not be painful if the nerve endings have been damaged. Even if there is no pain, prompt medical care for a severe burn is essential.
Chemical Burns
Achemical burnmay be felt immediately or it may take time to develop, depending on the cause. If the burn is deep or bigger than 3 inches, call 911. If you have it, bring the container with the chemical with you to the ER.
Take the following first aid measures for a chemical burn:
Poison ControlYou can callPoison Control(800-222-1222) for advice if you know what caused your chemical burn. Staff can guide you through the necessary steps for managing the chemical.
Poison Control
You can callPoison Control(800-222-1222) for advice if you know what caused your chemical burn. Staff can guide you through the necessary steps for managing the chemical.
Electrical Burns
Electrical burnscan be worse than they look on the surface. If you have an electrical burn from lightning, electrical wires, or household objects, see a healthcare provider promptly. If you are assisting someone, do not touch them if they are still in contact with the source of the electrical shock or burn.
Call 911 if you observe the following:
When it is safe for you to touch the person, administerCPRif you are trained and the person is not moving or breathing. Try to keep them warm and drape a clean cloth over the affected area. Do not use materials with fibers that may become stuck to the wound.
Immediate medical assistance for electrical burns is essential.
3 Home Remedies for Burns That Actually Work
Healing Stages of Burns
The body reacts differently to burns than other types of wounds or injuries. Your skin will appear dry as it heals. It may also be darker or lighter than it was before. Except in minor burns, blisters form, and the risk of serious infection risk can be high.
The healing stages of burns depend on the type of burn you have:
Burn Pictures: A Close Look at First, Second, and Third Degree
Summary
Severe second-degree and third-degree burns require medical assistance. In the case of third-degree burns, call 911 and administer CPR if the person is not breathing or is unconscious and it is safe to touch.
7 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.Stanford Health.What are the classifications of burns?American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat a first-degree, minor burn.NHS Inform.Burns & scalds.University of Michigan Health.Home treatment for second-degree burns.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Third-degree burns.Mount Sinai.Chemical burns.Tiwari VK.Burn wound: How it differs from other wounds?Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(2):364-373. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.101319
7 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.Stanford Health.What are the classifications of burns?American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat a first-degree, minor burn.NHS Inform.Burns & scalds.University of Michigan Health.Home treatment for second-degree burns.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Third-degree burns.Mount Sinai.Chemical burns.Tiwari VK.Burn wound: How it differs from other wounds?Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(2):364-373. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.101319
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.
Stanford Health.What are the classifications of burns?American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat a first-degree, minor burn.NHS Inform.Burns & scalds.University of Michigan Health.Home treatment for second-degree burns.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Third-degree burns.Mount Sinai.Chemical burns.Tiwari VK.Burn wound: How it differs from other wounds?Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(2):364-373. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.101319
Stanford Health.What are the classifications of burns?
American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat a first-degree, minor burn.
NHS Inform.Burns & scalds.
University of Michigan Health.Home treatment for second-degree burns.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Third-degree burns.
Mount Sinai.Chemical burns.
Tiwari VK.Burn wound: How it differs from other wounds?Indian J Plast Surg. 2012;45(2):364-373. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.101319
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