Burns

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• QWhat is a second-degree burn?

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  A Research Medical Center answered

  There are three primary types of burns: first, second, and third degree burns. Each degree of burn is based on the severity of damage to the skin.

  Second degree burns are also referred to as partial thickness burns. These burns are more serious because the damage extends beyond the top layer of skin; with second degree burns, the epidermis and a portion of the dermis is affected. The burn causes the skin to blister; it then becomes red, weepy, and is very painful. Due to the delicate nature of second degree burns, frequent bandaging and antibiotic ointment is required to prevent the wound from becoming infected. Superficial second degree burns heal within two to three weeks. In some severe cases, skin grafting is required to surgically repair the burned skin damage.

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• QHow do burns affect the body?

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  A Jumo Health answered

  Burns can affect the body by damaging the skin. When there’s a lot of damage, the skin can’t do its jobs properly. This means germs can get in, causing infections. If the burn is large and deep the body can lose water through the damaged skin, making the body dry. Body temperature may be harder to control, so the body can get too cold as heat is lost through the burned area.

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• QHow do burns affect the skin's dermis?

  1 Answer

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  A Medical City Plano answered

  A second-degree burn reaches the dermis, which is the inner layer of the skin. In general the more depth of the dermis is involved, the more significant the burn and scarring.

• QWhat happens to skin when it is healing from sunburn?

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  A Dr. Alexander M. Majidian, MD , Plastic Surgery, answered

  

  The skin becomes very sensitive and tries to repair after being sunburned. In this video, Alexander Majidian, MD, FACS of the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital, explains the healing process that your skin undergoes after a sunburn. 

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  What Happens to Skin When It Is Healing from Sunburn?
  Buy DVD
• QWhat is a friction burn?

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  A Darria Gillespie, MD , Emergency Medicine, answered

  When we refer to a burn, we typically think of an injury caused by high heat or a flame. Friction -- the force you feel when two surfaces drag against each other (such as a hand holding a rope or knees on carpet) -- can actually cause heat as well, leading to what we call a "friction burn." This usually causes damage to the top layer of skin, leading to redness, not unlike the appearance of a sunburn. More severe friction burns (such as having a rope rapidly pulled through your hands) can cause deeper skin damage, leading to blistering. Friction burns that lead to loss of the top layer of skin or blisters are at risk of infection, so they need to be kept clean and dry.

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• QWhat are signs of a full-thickness burn?

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  A National Athletic Trainers' Association answered

  Full-thickness burns may look brown or charred (black), and the tissues underneath may appear white. Additionally, these burns may be painful or painless. If painless, this is because the nerves have been destroyed. (This answer provided for NATA by the Weber State University Athletic Training Education Program.)

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• QWhat are signs of a partial-thickness burn?

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  A American Red Cross answered

  Signs of partial-thickness burns:
  

  • Involve the top layers of skin
  • Cause skin to become red; usually painful; has blisters that may open and weep clear fluid, making the skin appear wet; may appear mottled; and often swells.
  • Usually heals in three to four weeks and may scar.
• QHow should I care for a chemical burn?

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  A American Red Cross answered

  

  When caring for chemical burns it is important to remember that the chemical will continue to burn as long as it is on the skin.
  
  You must remove the chemical from the skin as quickly as possible. To do so, follow these steps:
  

  • If the burn was caused by dry chemicals, brush off the chemicals using gloved hands or a towel and remove any contaminated clothing before flushing with tap water (under pressure). Be careful not to get the chemical on yourself or on a different area of the person’s skin.
  • Flush the burn with large amounts of cool running water. Continue flushing the burn for at least 20 minutes or until emergency medical service (EMS) personnel take over.
  • If an eye is burned by a chemical, flush the affected eye with water until EMS personnel take over. Tip the head so that the affected eye is lower than the unaffected eye as you flush.

  
  

  • If possible, have the person remove contaminated clothes to prevent further contamination while you continue to flush the area.

  Be aware that chemicals can be inhaled, potentially damaging the airway or lungs.
  
  

  
• QWhat are the symptoms of a superficial burn?

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  A American Red Cross answered

  Signs of superficial burns:

  • Involves only the top layer of skin
  • Cause skin to become red and dry, usually painful, and the area may swell
  • Usually heals within a week without permanent scarring
• QWhat is a critical burn?

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  A American Red Cross answered

  

  A critical burn requires immediate medical attention. These burns are potentially life threatening, disfiguring, and disabling.
  
  
  
  Unfortunately, it often is difficult to tell if a burn is critical. Even superficial burns can be critical if they affect a large area or certain body parts.
  
  You cannot judge a burn’s severity by the person’s level of pain because nerve endings may be destroyed.