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What should I do if I get a hot water burn?
Last reviewed: 19.10.2021
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Most of the burns occur at home, in the home. Everyone knows that when handling hot liquids you need to be as cautious as possible, however, sometimes injuries occur, so it's important to know how to behave in such a situation and what to do when burned with hot water, boiling water or steam.
First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the effect of hot water on the skin, i.e. Remove clothing, then cool the affected area under a stream of cold water for several minutes (5 to 20 minutes, depending on the severity of the burn), which will reduce the soreness of the burned area. You can also use ice packs or cold air. At strong painful sensations it is possible to accept (enter) an anaesthetising preparation. To prevent infection, close the wound with a sterile bandage.
Treatment of a burn depends on the extent of the lesion, independent opening of blisters is prohibited.
Lubricate the burned area with blisters of alcohol-containing products, iodine, manganese, vegetable oil, as well as preparations on fat basis is contraindicated.
When burns are recommended to use special drugs - levomikol, panthenol, which will help reduce inflammation, restore damaged cells and accelerate the healing process.
If you do not have any special means for burns, you can use alternative medicine methods.
Wash the wound can be cooled tea brewing (green or black), and you can also apply a wetted tea dressing to the affected area.
If possible, it is recommended to apply a cut sheet of aloe on the burn, which will remove inflammation and repair damaged tissue.
The most effective remedy for burns is sea buckthorn oil or propolisnaya ointment.
Sea buckthorn oil has long been used as a restoring tissue and prevents the formation of scars remedy. If you use sea buckthorn oil at once, the healing process will be faster.
What should I do if I get burned with boiling water?
Often burns are due to inaccurate handling of hot liquids. Most of the burns from hot water are given to children, so parents should know what to do with a burn.
If a child accidentally overturned boiling water, you need to quickly remove his wet clothes.
The burned part of the body needs to be cooled (under a stream of cold water, cold air, etc.). It is important to know that you can not cool the burned skin with ice water or ice, because of a sudden temperature drop, complications and shock may occur.
After this, it is necessary to treat the affected area with any anti-burn medication, which should always be in the home medicine cabinet. The most effective for burns are Panthenol and Levomikol, which well anesthetize, relieve inflammation, swelling, repair damaged tissue.
If the first degree burn, there is a slight reddening, the area of the lesion is small, then self-treatment is allowed. If blisters appear after the burn, the skin is very red, swollen, you should seek medical help. If the child feels bad after the burn, the temperature rises, etc. You need to immediately visit a doctor (or call an ambulance), regardless of the degree of burn.
What should I do if I get a steam burn?
Many people do not know what to do with a steam burn. Such burns are thermal, but the damage from burns by steam is several times stronger than from open fire.
As with any other thermal burn, the integrity of the skin is disturbed, the upper layer of the skin partially dies, blood circulation is disrupted, inflammation, and swelling appear.
In case of steam burns, you should act as with other types of thermal burns, first you need to remove the victim from the source of steam, if necessary, remove clothing (you need to remove as quickly as possible, you can use a scissors or a knife). Next, the burn should be cooled with water, which will help prevent a burn in the deeper layers of the skin. You can give a drink to the patient anesthetics (analgin, pentalgin, etc.). After treating the wound with a special remedy (Panthenol), you must apply a clean bandage and seek medical help.
Great care must be taken with steam burns of the third and fourth degree, in this case, immediately call an ambulance or take the victim to the hospital, because self-treatment can lead to serious complications.