Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsAppearanceTreatmentHealing StagesWhen to See a ProviderPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Appearance
Treatment
Healing Stages
When to See a Provider
Prevention
Second-degree burns occur when heat, chemicals, light, or electricity damage the first two layers of your skin. The appearance of a second-degree burn sets them apart from a less severe first-degree burn. You’ll see skin discoloration, blisters, redness and swelling, and shiny, moist skin.
Whether you treat a 2nd-degree burn at home or need medical care depends on its size, location, and whether it heals properly or an infection develops.
What Is a Second-Degree Burn?
A second-degree burn is usually a mild to moderate injury. However, its severity depends on how large it is, whether it’s on a sensitive part of the body, and the size of the affected body area.
The degree of a burn is based on how deep the damage goes.First-degree burnsonly damage the top layer of skin (theepidermis). Second-degree burns damage the epidermis and the second layer of skin (thedermis). Third-degree burns damage the epidermis, dermis, and the skin’s third layer, thehypodermis (subcutaneous layer).
What Do Second-Degree Burns Look Like?
While second-degree burns share similar symptoms, their overallappearancevaries depending on their cause. The pictures below will show you some of the different causes of second-degree burns and what they look like.
Scalding
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoNordyke
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Nordyke
Scalds seldom cause full-thickness (third-degree) burns, but they do blister quickly.
Open Flame Burn
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoShells
Shells
An unloaded potato gun (potato launcher) gave this person a second-degree burn. The device used hairspray as an explosive agent to shoot a potato into the air. In this case, the flaming hairspray damaged the skin.
Heat Pack Burn
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoNise
Nise
A reusable heat pack burned this person’s neck. The person microwaved the pack for 60 seconds, even though the instructions said to heat it for 30 seconds.
There are no blisters here. In this case, the destruction of the outer layer caused areas of whiteness and discoloration common with many second-degree burns.
Heat Pack Burn (Five Weeks Later)
After a burn from a heat pack, this person was treated withtopical anestheticsto numb the skin. This picture shows how the burn looks five weeks after the injury.
Even after significant healing, burns this severe can cause pain for weeks. Over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol (acetaminophen) can help.
Candle Wax Burn
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoCmoore
Cmoore
Hot candle wax is a common cause of second-degree burns. In this case, the candle wax exploded and splattered wax onto the person’s hand.
When water touches hot wax near a burning wick, the wax can explode. The type of candle or wax can make a big difference in how severe the injury is.
Paraffin waxmelts at around 120 degrees F. Votive candles melt at around 135 F, and taper candles at 140 F or higher. The most serious burns come from beeswax, which melts at 145 F or higher.
To avoid burns, the wax temperature should be well below 125 F. That’s a common temperature for body waxing.
Steam Iron Burn
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoCheryl H.
Cheryl H.
After burning herself with the steam from a household iron, this woman developed a painful second-degree blister on her pinky finger.
It’s easy to underestimate the dangers ofhot steam. When your car overheats, for example, the steam escaping from the radiator will be between 190 F and 220 F. That’s hot enough to cause a severe burn in less than a second.
If the jet of hot steam hits your eye, your cornea can be severely damaged. Burns like this can cause:
Hot Oil Burn
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoSarah
Sarah
Hot oil burns are common in the kitchen, especially among children.Deep fryers are often the culprits. When water spills or splashes into a deep fryer, there’s a huge splatter. Fat splattering from a hot frying pan can also cause burns. In this case, hot oil from a campfire frying pan damaged someone’s knee.
Cooking oil can easily exceed 375 F, but it is not the only source of non-water liquid burns. Motor oil can reach 275 F. You can be injured if you try to change the oil too soon after a car engine has stopped running. Even worse is molten sugar used for making candy. It can easily exceed 340 F.
Sunburn
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoJayjay
Jayjay
Sunburnsusually cause redness, stinging, and peeling. However, if you stay out long enough or fall asleep in the sun without UV protection, you can easily get a severe second-degree burn.
The problem with second-degree sunburns is that large areas of skin are involved, requiring medical attention. The blistering can be extensive and can cause terrible pain.
Because such large areas are involved, you may also experience:
In rare cases, people with sunburn can go intoshock.
A second-degreesunburntakes longer to heal than a first-degree sunburn. Your skin may still be discolored after you’ve healed and your scars may be permanent.
Second-degree sunburns increase the lifetime risk of developingskin cancer, includingmelanoma.
Friction Burn
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoDawn H.
Dawn H.
A friction burn is a type of abrasion or scrape. These injuries often cause second-degree burns. The most common types of friction burn areroad rashandrug burns.
Sloughing
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoShelley Saunders
Shelley Saunders
Once a second-degree blister pops or tears, or several days after the burn starts to heal, the epidermis will begin to fall away in sheets. This normal process is calledsloughing. This photo shows sloughing after someone spilled hot water from a pot of pasta onto her foot.
When skin sloughs after a severe burn, the exposed tissue may not have begun to heal. In such cases, oral antibiotics may be needed to reduce the risk of infection.
A Word From VerywellBecause the dermis is affected in a second-degree burn, these types of skin injuries have the potential to blister and scar. Once the burn has healed, take care to protect it from the sun, as the damaged skin is more sun-sensitive, and UV radiation can contribute to the burn, leaving a persistent, dark area on the skin.—BRENDAN CAMP, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Because the dermis is affected in a second-degree burn, these types of skin injuries have the potential to blister and scar. Once the burn has healed, take care to protect it from the sun, as the damaged skin is more sun-sensitive, and UV radiation can contribute to the burn, leaving a persistent, dark area on the skin.—BRENDAN CAMP, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Because the dermis is affected in a second-degree burn, these types of skin injuries have the potential to blister and scar. Once the burn has healed, take care to protect it from the sun, as the damaged skin is more sun-sensitive, and UV radiation can contribute to the burn, leaving a persistent, dark area on the skin.
—BRENDAN CAMP, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
1. Cool the Burn
Continue cooling the burn until your pain improves. This may may take as long as 30 minutes.
No Ice!Don’t use ice or ice water to cool your skin after a burn. Temperatures that are too low can further damage the tissues.
No Ice!
Don’t use ice or ice water to cool your skin after a burn. Temperatures that are too low can further damage the tissues.
2. Clean the Wound
Wash your hands first to prevent dirt or bacteria from getting in the wound. Gently clean the area using mild soap and cool water. Then, pat it dry with a clean cloth, being careful not to break the blisters.
Wash the burn every day until it heals, unless you consult a healthcare provider and they give you different instructions.
3. Apply Ointment
Applying petroleum jelly or an antibiotic cream keeps the burn moist and promotes healing. You don’t need to place the ointment on the burn. Instead, put it on a nonstick dressing and then put the dressing over the burn.
Antibiotic creams should be limited to one week. Using them longer may cause a rash. If your burn is still healing at the end of a week, switch to petroleum jelly.
4. Cover the Burn
Change the bandage daily after washing the wound or if the bandage gets wet or dirty. If the bandage sticks to the burn, soaking in warm water helps loosen it.
5. Treat the Pain
Do not take aspirin because it can increase bleeding in the damaged tissues.
6. Moisturize After Healing
After the burn heals, apply a moisture cream to prevent drying, cracking, and itching. Choose moisturizers that are free of perfume and dyes.
Burns heal in three stages. Your second-degree burn will look different during each of the three healing stages.
You will know your burn is healing if it progresses through these stages and there are no signs of infection.
How Can I Tell if It’s Infected?
Signs of an infected second-degree burn include:
Infections prevent healing and, without treatment, can spread throughout your body.
How Long Will It Take To Heal?
Healing time varies depending on the depth of the wound. Second-degree burns typically heal in one to three weeks, but could take six weeks or longer.
Your overall health and nutritional well-being also influence healing time. Your burn will take longer to heal if you have a weakened immune system or a deficiency in the nutrients essential for healing, such as protein, zinc, and vitamins A and C.
Will I Have a Scar?
Second-degree burns can cause scarring, but not always. Even if you don’t have a scar, you may notice that your skin becomes lighter or darker in the area where the burn occurred. This type of discoloration may fade a little over time but tends to be permanent.
What Is the Fluid in a Burn Blister?The fluid inside a burn blister is similar to the plasma in your blood. The blister helps protect the damaged tissues while its fluids contain cells and substances that support wound healing.
What Is the Fluid in a Burn Blister?
The fluid inside a burn blister is similar to the plasma in your blood. The blister helps protect the damaged tissues while its fluids contain cells and substances that support wound healing.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Get medical attention for a second-degree burn if:
Second-degree burns and all other types of burns can be prevented with simple precautions. For example:
Summary
Second-degree burns damage the skin’s top and second layers, the epidermis and dermis. If you have a second-degree burn, you can expect to have pain and see redness, blistering, skin discoloration, and swelling. You may have some scarring, and your skin may be a different color after the burn heals.
You may be able to treat second-degree burns at home. However, medical care is essential if the burn is larger than 3 inches, burns cover more than 10% of your body, or you have severe pain, swelling, or an infection.
14 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.National Library of Medicine.Burns.Bittner EA, Shank E, Woodson L, Martyn JA.Acute and perioperative care of the burn-injured patient.Anesthesiology. 2015;122(2):448-464. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000000559University of California San Diego School of Medicine: UC San Diego Health.Burn care.Grosu-Bularda A, Andrei MC, Mladin AD, et al.Periorbital lesions in severely burned patients.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2019;63(1):38-55.Bachier M, Hammond SE, Williams R, Jancelewicz T, Feliz A.Pediatric scalds: Do cooking-related burns have a higher injury burden?J Surg Res. 2015;199(1):230-236. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2015.05.016Sánchez-Pérez JF, Vicente-Agullo D, Barberá M, Castro-Rodríguez E, Cánovas M.Relationship between ultraviolet index (UVI) and first-, second- and third-degree sunburn using the Probit methodology.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):733. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36850-xNorman G, Christie J, Liu Z, et al.Antiseptics for burns.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;7(7):CD011821. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011821.pub2University of Michigan Medical School: Michigan Medicine.Home treatment for second-degree burns.Rowan MP, Cancio LC, Elster EA, et al.Burn wound healing and treatment: Review and advancements.Crit Care. 2015;19:243. doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0961-2Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC).Wound care after burn injury.Shriners Children’s.Second-degree burn care.Barchitta M, Maugeri A, Favara G, et al.Nutrition and Wound Healing: An Overview Focusing on the Beneficial Effects of Curcumin.Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Mar 5;20(5):1119. doi:10.3390/ijms20051119.Gupta S, Chittoria RK, Chavan V, et al.Role of burn blister fluid in wound healing.J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2021;14(3):370-373. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_90_19Johns Hopkins Medicine.Burns and wounds.
14 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.National Library of Medicine.Burns.Bittner EA, Shank E, Woodson L, Martyn JA.Acute and perioperative care of the burn-injured patient.Anesthesiology. 2015;122(2):448-464. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000000559University of California San Diego School of Medicine: UC San Diego Health.Burn care.Grosu-Bularda A, Andrei MC, Mladin AD, et al.Periorbital lesions in severely burned patients.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2019;63(1):38-55.Bachier M, Hammond SE, Williams R, Jancelewicz T, Feliz A.Pediatric scalds: Do cooking-related burns have a higher injury burden?J Surg Res. 2015;199(1):230-236. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2015.05.016Sánchez-Pérez JF, Vicente-Agullo D, Barberá M, Castro-Rodríguez E, Cánovas M.Relationship between ultraviolet index (UVI) and first-, second- and third-degree sunburn using the Probit methodology.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):733. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36850-xNorman G, Christie J, Liu Z, et al.Antiseptics for burns.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;7(7):CD011821. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011821.pub2University of Michigan Medical School: Michigan Medicine.Home treatment for second-degree burns.Rowan MP, Cancio LC, Elster EA, et al.Burn wound healing and treatment: Review and advancements.Crit Care. 2015;19:243. doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0961-2Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC).Wound care after burn injury.Shriners Children’s.Second-degree burn care.Barchitta M, Maugeri A, Favara G, et al.Nutrition and Wound Healing: An Overview Focusing on the Beneficial Effects of Curcumin.Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Mar 5;20(5):1119. doi:10.3390/ijms20051119.Gupta S, Chittoria RK, Chavan V, et al.Role of burn blister fluid in wound healing.J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2021;14(3):370-373. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_90_19Johns Hopkins Medicine.Burns and wounds.
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.
National Library of Medicine.Burns.Bittner EA, Shank E, Woodson L, Martyn JA.Acute and perioperative care of the burn-injured patient.Anesthesiology. 2015;122(2):448-464. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000000559University of California San Diego School of Medicine: UC San Diego Health.Burn care.Grosu-Bularda A, Andrei MC, Mladin AD, et al.Periorbital lesions in severely burned patients.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2019;63(1):38-55.Bachier M, Hammond SE, Williams R, Jancelewicz T, Feliz A.Pediatric scalds: Do cooking-related burns have a higher injury burden?J Surg Res. 2015;199(1):230-236. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2015.05.016Sánchez-Pérez JF, Vicente-Agullo D, Barberá M, Castro-Rodríguez E, Cánovas M.Relationship between ultraviolet index (UVI) and first-, second- and third-degree sunburn using the Probit methodology.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):733. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36850-xNorman G, Christie J, Liu Z, et al.Antiseptics for burns.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;7(7):CD011821. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011821.pub2University of Michigan Medical School: Michigan Medicine.Home treatment for second-degree burns.Rowan MP, Cancio LC, Elster EA, et al.Burn wound healing and treatment: Review and advancements.Crit Care. 2015;19:243. doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0961-2Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC).Wound care after burn injury.Shriners Children’s.Second-degree burn care.Barchitta M, Maugeri A, Favara G, et al.Nutrition and Wound Healing: An Overview Focusing on the Beneficial Effects of Curcumin.Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Mar 5;20(5):1119. doi:10.3390/ijms20051119.Gupta S, Chittoria RK, Chavan V, et al.Role of burn blister fluid in wound healing.J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2021;14(3):370-373. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_90_19Johns Hopkins Medicine.Burns and wounds.
National Library of Medicine.Burns.
Bittner EA, Shank E, Woodson L, Martyn JA.Acute and perioperative care of the burn-injured patient.Anesthesiology. 2015;122(2):448-464. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000000559
University of California San Diego School of Medicine: UC San Diego Health.Burn care.
Grosu-Bularda A, Andrei MC, Mladin AD, et al.Periorbital lesions in severely burned patients.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2019;63(1):38-55.
Bachier M, Hammond SE, Williams R, Jancelewicz T, Feliz A.Pediatric scalds: Do cooking-related burns have a higher injury burden?J Surg Res. 2015;199(1):230-236. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2015.05.016
Sánchez-Pérez JF, Vicente-Agullo D, Barberá M, Castro-Rodríguez E, Cánovas M.Relationship between ultraviolet index (UVI) and first-, second- and third-degree sunburn using the Probit methodology.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):733. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36850-x
Norman G, Christie J, Liu Z, et al.Antiseptics for burns.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;7(7):CD011821. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011821.pub2
University of Michigan Medical School: Michigan Medicine.Home treatment for second-degree burns.
Rowan MP, Cancio LC, Elster EA, et al.Burn wound healing and treatment: Review and advancements.Crit Care. 2015;19:243. doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0961-2
Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC).Wound care after burn injury.
Shriners Children’s.Second-degree burn care.
Barchitta M, Maugeri A, Favara G, et al.Nutrition and Wound Healing: An Overview Focusing on the Beneficial Effects of Curcumin.Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Mar 5;20(5):1119. doi:10.3390/ijms20051119.
Gupta S, Chittoria RK, Chavan V, et al.Role of burn blister fluid in wound healing.J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2021;14(3):370-373. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_90_19
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Burns and wounds.
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