Often children suffer from boiling water because of their curiosity, but adults are not insured. Often, burns with hot liquids are even more traumatic than fire, since they have more area of damage, and tissue damage occurs faster.
Classification of burns
Like any thermal injuries, burns with boiling water are divided primarily by the degree of damage.
- First degree burns: redness and slight swelling at the site of injury. Perhaps the appearance of small bubbles with transparent content. Pass for 3-5 days even if there is no treatment.
- Burns of the second degree: the appearance of bubbles with transparent contents on the burn site. When the blister ruptures, a red inflamed surface is found. The healing time is from 7 to 14 days, usually without the formation of scars and other consequences.
- Third degree burns: a deep lesion affecting not only the skin but also muscle tissue. Bubbles are usually already burst. The time of recovery depends on the area and depth of the lesion. Burns of the third degree of severity require treatment and medical treatment.
- Burns of the fourth degree: the heaviest, damages reach the bone tissue.
First aid
When getting a burn, you first need to cool the damaged area of the body. For this purpose, it is best to place the burned surface for 10-15 minutes under cold running water or in a container with cold water. With first degree burns, first aid is limited. When blisters appear, the burned skin can be treated with a panthenol spray or other anti-burn agent. If the blisters burst, it is best to close the wound with a sterile bandage to avoid infection. You can not pierce the formed bubbles.
With third and fourth degree burns, as well as second degree burns covering a large area, sterile bandages should be applied as far as possible and delivered to the hospital.
Folk remedies
Since burns are a very common type of injury, there are many folk remedies and recommendations for their treatment. However, not all of these tips are equally effective and useful.
- Lubricate the burn with lean oil. So you can not do in any case. Fat blocks the outflow of heat, and as a result, the pain and damage will only increase.
- Treat the burn with alcohol or alcohol tincture. Another rather ambiguous advice. Alcohol evaporates quickly enough and therefore helps to cool the skin, but it dries.
In principle, the burned area can be rubbed with alcohol, in addition, it disinfects, but in no case can not impose an alcohol compress. - Apply bandage with finely grated potatoes. A widespread and fairly effective method of traditional medicine. It should be remembered that you can apply such a compress only in the absence of bubbles or until they burst, otherwise you can put the infection in the wound. Leave the compress on the skin until it warms up, then change.
- Lubricate the burn with aloe vera juice. Aloe vera helps to accelerate regeneration, and it can be applied to both fresh and healing scalding to speed recovery. You can also apply a cut sheet of aloe as a compress.
All the above tips are suitable only for burns of the first and second (if the area of the affected skin is less than two palms) degree. With deeper burns, you should consult a doctor to avoid the development of necrosis and other complications.