We all know how easy it is to accidentally burn yourself at home. There is nothing worse than making a cup of tea and in your moment of distraction, the boiling water spills on your arm. Or your little one touches the stove plate whilst it is still on. Ouch! At some point it is inevitable that someone in your household will experience a burn injury. Thus, prepping your first-aid kit and knowing what to do and what not to do will make things a whole lot easier.

First things first, get to know your burn degrees

Being able to distinguish between the different burn degrees will help to clarify how the injury should be treated, and if the person can be treated at home or requires emergency hospital care. Here are the most common burn degrees:

• Superficial skin burns: This burn will usually only harm the top layer of the skin (the epidermis). Typically, this type of burn will cause pain, dryness, redness, and will turn white when pressed. Superficial burns do not require emergency care and tend to take between 3-6 days to heal.
• Partial-thickness skin burns: This burn is deeper and affects both the top and lower layers of the skin. Pain, redness and swelling, white or blotchy skin, seeping fluid and blisters will be noticeable. If the burn is very deep it can lead to scarring. In most cases, this burn injury is treatable at home and will heal between 7-21 days. If you are not completely sure about how to treat this burn type, rather visit a doctor to get their professional medical opinion.
• Full-thickness skin burns: The burn reaches the fat beneath the top and lower skin layers. It can also damage hair follicles and sweat glands. The burn injury may look black, brown, red, or white and the skin could have a leather-like appearance. Skin will also feel numb as this burn usually destroys nerves. Seek urgent medical attention in this major burn case!

What to include in your first-aid kit

It is important that your household first-aid kit includes the necessary essentials to treat a burn injury. Rather be safe than sorry! Some of these items might even come in handy in the case of an alternative medical emergency:

• Nitrile gloves (to ensure your hands are clean when treating the injury)
• Disinfectant
• Cool compress
• Aloe Vera gel
• Antibacterial cream
• Cotton pads
• Plasters
• Bandages
• Gauze
• Painkillers
• Scissors

Steps for treating a minor burn at home:

The following steps can be used as a guideline for treating minor burns:

1. Hold the burn injury under cool (note not cold) running water or apply a cool, wet compress.
2. Gently remove any jewellery/clothing garments from the injured area before it swells.
3. After the burn has cooled, apply Aloe Vera gel or a fragrance-free moisturiser to prevent it from drying. The anti-inflammatory properties in honey can also be effective to help heal a minor burn.
4. Loosely bandage the burn to protect the skin.
5. If you notice fluid-filled blisters appearing on the burned area, do not scratch or break the blisters. Rather apply an antibiotic cream to soothe.
6. To relieve further pain, take over-the-counter painkillers if necessary.

Steps for treating a major burn at home:

The following steps can be used as a guideline for treating major burns, until the injured person is able to get emergency medical assistance:

1. Try to safely remove and protect the person from the source of the burn.
2. Call for emergency/medical help.
3. Ensure that the person is breathing properly, if needed you can perform rescue breathing (CPR).
4. Gently remove any jewellery/clothing garments from the injured area before it swells.
5. Cover the skin area that has been burnt – a cool, moist bandage or clean cloth can be used.
6. Do not place large, severe burns under/in water.
7. Elevate the injured area so that it is above heart level.
8. Observe the injured person for signs of shock, fainting, a pale complexion and breathing difficulties.

The no-go to treating burns at home

When an emergency arises, our minds often enter panic mode, and we forget what we should do or turn to the wrong treatments. To prevent this from happening, here are things that you should not do when treating a burn at home:

• Do not apply butter or any oils.
• Never reach for the toothpaste (it might irritate the burned area).
• Ice and very cold water can also further irritate the burn.

When to seek medical care

Apart from when the person experiences a major burn, it is possible to successfully treat minor burns at home. However, keep a close eye on the burn injury for any signs of infection (leakage from the wound), excessive redness and swelling, blisters that do not heal within two weeks and very bad scarring. If you do notice any such changes to the injury, it is best you make an appointment to see a doctor.

The lenmed Group is a world-class chain of Private Hospitals that brings quality healthcare to communities across Southern Africa.

For more information please contact:

Janus van Schalkwyk, Head of Cardiac and Stroke Networks Lenmed Private Hospitals and Advanced Life Support Practitioner IPSS Rescue
Tel: +27 (0) 82 391 1911 or +27 (0) 60 975 9079
www.ipssrescue.co.za or [email protected]

Disclaimer: Any information contained here is merely a guideline. Always visit your healthcare practitioner for any health-related advice or diagnosis.