How to treat thermal burns

A burn is tissue damage as a result of high temperature, chemicals, or radiation. This is the most common injury that can occur in everyday life. This is especially true for thermal burns.

There is probably no person who has not been scalded by boiling water or burned by hot oil at least once in his life. Treatment of minor skin burns can be carried out at home; you do not always need to go to the doctor.

Most of these injuries resolve within a few days. But you need to know how to relieve pain, how to speed up healing, and in what cases you still need to seek medical help.

How do people most often get burned?

1. Half of all cases are contact with open fire (fires, bonfires, flames in a stove, ignition of gasoline).
2. 20% is scalding with boiling water or steam.
3. 10% is contact with hot objects.
4. 20% - other factors (acids, alkalis, sunburn, electric current).

Every third person burned is a child. Most often (75% of cases) the arms and hands are burned.

What are they?

I and II degrees refer to superficial burns, in which only the top layer of skin, the epidermis, is affected. When uncomplicated, they heal without leaving scars.

III and IV degrees are deep burns, with damage to all layers of the skin and underlying tissues. They heal with the formation of a rough scar.

What burns can be treated at home?

You can treat at home:

1. 1st degree burns in adults, not exceeding 10% of the body area;
2. 2nd degree burns not exceeding 1% of the body.

How to determine the degree?

1st degree burn – manifested by swelling, redness of the skin, pain, sensitivity to touch, and there may be small blisters.

Stage 2 is characterized by the addition of large blisters filled with liquid to the above symptoms.

How to determine area?

The easiest way to determine the burn surface area of ​​a home is the palm method. The area of ​​a person's palm is conventionally taken to be 1% of the area of ​​the entire body.

When should you seek medical help immediately?

1. Any burn that involves the eyes, lips, ears, respiratory tract, or genitals.
2. 2nd degree burn with an area larger than the palm of your hand.
3. 1st degree burn of more than 10% of the body surface (for example, the entire abdomen or the entire arm).
4. Third- and fourth-degree burns (the affected area is covered with a dry crust, charring, there may be no pain due to the death of nerve receptors), even small ones.
5. The pain is uncontrollable.
6. If the wound is contaminated with soil (necessity for tetanus prophylaxis).
7. Burns in children.
8. Treatment of chemical burns is also best left to specialists.

How to treat burns at home

1. Stop contact with the scalding factor. Put out the flames on your clothes and move away from the fire. If you are burned by boiling water, immediately remove clothing in contact with the body. Throw a hot object.
2. Cool the burnt surface. It is best to do this under running water at a temperature of 10-18 degrees. You can immerse the limb in a container of water or apply a damp cloth. You need to cool for 5 to 10 minutes; in case of a chemical burn, rinse with running water for up to 20 minutes (except for burns with quicklime). Cooling has an analgesic effect and also prevents the spread of heating of healthy tissue at the border of the burn.
3. Anesthesia. For severe pain, you can take paracetamol, ibuprofen, ketanov, analgin, and other analgesics.
4. Local treatment. The main goal in treating burns is to protect the surface from germs, relieve pain and speed up the restoration of the damaged layer of skin. They simply use sterile wipes, special wipes for burns, sprays and ointments that promote healing.
5. General treatment. It would be a good idea to take restorative medications and also follow a proper diet to ensure that the burn heals faster and without consequences. It is recommended to increase the amount of protein in the diet (meat, fish, dairy products), as well as vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins. Additionally, you can take vitamin C and Aevit. It is recommended to drink more.

Pharmacy drugs

So, you got a burn from boiling water or oil. They cooled it down, assessed that it was small and shallow, its condition was generally satisfactory, and it could be treated at home. It's worth looking into the first aid kit. Those who are prudent and thrifty may at least have a package of sterile wipes and Panthenol.

What can you ask at the pharmacy?

1. Sterile wipes. Better atraumatic dressings that do not stick to the wound and have antiseptic properties:

1. Atrauman Ag (5cm x 5cm 250 rub, 10 cm x 10 cm 530 rub),
2. Branolind N (30 rub - 100 rub),
3. Combixin and Diosept (manufacturer: Belarus).

There is no need to buy everything at once; to treat minor burns, sometimes one sterile bandage lightly moistened with an antiseptic and Panthenol is enough. In a healthy person, everything will heal without the use of additional funds. If there are no sterile bandages, you can iron a clean cloth with a hot iron.

How long will it take to heal?

Superficial 1st degree burn injuries heal without consequences in 3-4 days. A slight pigmentation may remain, which will also disappear over time.

Second degree burns with blisters will take longer to heal. The bubble gradually subsides, the liquid resolves. It may happen that the bubble bursts with the formation of erosion; this requires additional treatment with antibacterial ointments Levomekol (130 rub) or Voskopran bandage with levomekol ointment (5 x 75, cm 350 rub, 10x10 cm 1100 rub), Silvacin, Dioxyzol. The bandage needs to be changed every other day. Such a burn heals within 10-12 days, also without scar formation.

If, during the treatment, redness, swelling, pain increases, and purulent discharge from the wound appears, this is evidence of infection and a reason to consult a doctor.

What not to do and why

1. Lubricate the burn site with vegetable or butter, kefir, sour cream, creams, ointments. Fat forms a film on the wound, which will make it worse for cooling.
2. Treat the wound with alcohol, brilliant green, and potassium permanganate. These are irritants and can only worsen tissue damage.
3. Treat damage with vinegar or soda. The reason is the same.
4. Tear off clothing stuck to the wound. It is simply cut with scissors around the affected area.
5. Apply ice. It can cause severe vasospasm, which will impair blood circulation and increase necrosis.
6. Treat with urine. Other than the risk of infection, there is no benefit from this.
7. Puncture the blisters yourself. The whole bladder protects the wound from infection. When it is opened, a wound surface is formed, which can fester.

Folk remedies in treatment

There are many tips for treating burns with folk remedies. You shouldn’t trust them all recklessly. But some of them may be useful if the burn is received far from home and away from the first aid kit, or if a person likes to be treated with natural remedies without “any chemicals.”

Many plants are known to have antiseptic properties. The main principle here is “do no harm.” The safest folk remedies:

1. Raw potato juice. Grate one medium potato, put the pulp in cheesecloth and apply to the burned area for 10-15 minutes.
2. Carrot lotion. Instead of potatoes, raw carrots are grated and used in the same way as in the previous recipe.
3. Brew black or green tea with boiling water, cool to room temperature, soak a napkin in the brew and apply to the burn.
4. Ointment with calendula. Brew 3 tablespoons of dry calendula with boiling water, let it brew for 15 minutes, strain. Mix the resulting infusion with Vaseline in a ratio of 1:2. Apply 2 times a day to the burned surface. Keep refrigerated.
5. Pour boiling water over dry linden flowers (1 tablespoon per glass of water). Leave for about an hour, strain. Apply 2-3 times a day until dry.
6. Using the same principle, you can prepare a decoction from any herb or mixture of herbs that have an anti-inflammatory effect: chamomile, calendula, sage, string, plantain.

Every person has experienced burns at least once in their life. You can even get them at home by spilling boiling water on yourself or accidentally touching the iron. As a result of high temperatures, the skin becomes red and blisters. Damage may vary depending on the duration of contact with a hot object and the area of ​​the source. When more than 15% of the body is affected, a person requires medical attention in a hospital. Less severe burns can be treated at home.

What is a burn

This is a violation of the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes under the influence of high temperature, electric current or chemically aggressive substances. At home, women often receive such injuries while cooking or ironing clothes. Children, due to their curiosity, often get burned by boiling water. Regardless of the cause, the burn is divided into several degrees:

1. first – redness of the skin, which may become swollen;
2. second – the appearance of blisters with liquid (blood plasma) inside;
3. third – formation of necrotic areas on the skin;
4. fourth – necrosis of the skin, muscles and bones.

Only the first two degrees can be treated at home. When skin necrosis develops, you should consult a doctor. Depending on the cause, burns are divided into several types:

1. chemical – occur in close contact with chemicals;
2. electric – are a consequence of the action of lightning and electrical appliances;
3. thermal (thermal) – are formed after contact of human skin with steam, fire, hot liquids or objects;
4. radial – appear when exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a long time in a solarium or in the sun.

Treatment of burns

How and with what to treat a burn depends on the type and degree of skin injury. If the damage covers a significant area of ​​the skin and numerous blisters appear, you should consult a doctor. In other cases, it is possible to treat burn wounds at home. After stopping contact with the source of high temperature, you need to calm down and take action, because further tissue healing depends on first aid.

The next step is to cool the damaged area under cold water. You can also use saline solution. The main thing is that the stream of water should not be too cold, so as not to get shocked by a sudden change in temperature. Instructions for further actions:

1. You should immediately remove tight clothes and jewelry;
2. instead of cold water, you can use a compress from an ice pack wrapped in a towel;
3. if pain occurs, then you need to take a painkiller, for example, Aspirin or Ibuprofen;
4. before touching the wound, you need to wash your hands with soap;
5. During treatment, follow a high-protein diet with cottage cheese, cheese, chicken and eggs.

Treatment of thermal burns at home

After receiving an injury, it is important to monitor the location of the injury: whether the color of the wound changes to black, brown or red, and whether a greenish tint appears inside it. Slow healing may indicate infection and complications. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable. Mandatory hospitalization is required for the following symptoms:

1. rough skin or softening of the skin in the wound area;
2. the source of damage becomes warm;
3. temperature rise to 39 or drop (below 36.5 degrees).

In the absence of such signs, the wound can be treated at home. First, first aid is provided, and then they begin to use burn remedies in the form of ointments, creams, and aerosols. Treatment is aimed at healing and disinfecting the injury site. With proper treatment of blisters, suppuration and inflammation can be avoided. The resulting bubbles will burst on their own and dry out in 1-2 weeks.

First aid

Proper first aid for burns at home helps to minimize complications and alleviate the condition of the victim. The main condition is the absence of panic, because only a calm and collected person can correctly provide first aid. It is as follows:

1. Stop the victim's contact with the source of high temperature. If this is an electric current, then you cannot touch the person with your hands; for this you need to use an insulated object. When, after cessation of contact with the source, the remaining heat or chemicals continue to destroy the tissue (i.e., the affected area increases), apply ice, snow, or expose the wound to cold water for 10-15 minutes.
2. If the victim experiences severe pain, then give him a painkiller: Ketanov, Ibuprofen, Aspirin.
3. Rinse the burned area with cold water or a weak solution of manganese. If the skin is damaged by alkali, treat the wound with a few drops of citric acid; if damaged by acid, treat the wound with soapy water.
4. Apply a sterile gauze bandage made of a special material, for example, Diosept or Combixin.

How to anoint a burn

Treatment of burn wounds at home in the first couple of hours is carried out using a spray.

For household burns, Panthenol Spray with dexpanthenol has proven itself well. Unlike analogues, which are cosmetics, this is a certified medicinal product. It does not contain parabens, making it safe for both adults and children from the first day of life. It’s easy to apply—just spray it on the skin without rubbing. PanthenolSpray is produced in the European Union, in compliance with high European quality standards; you can recognize the original PanthenolSpray by the smiley face next to the name on the packaging.

Further treatment of the wound is carried out:

1. Olazol - it is especially effective if you have been burned by steam or boiling water;
2. Betadine ointment - if you are injured from a hot iron, this remedy prevents infection of the wound.

The anti-burn agent should not only help restore the skin, but also relieve the pain that sometimes accompanies such an injury. Fastin ointment has an analgesic effect. It is used until the wound is completely healed. Additionally, you can make bandages with Methyluracil, which promotes cell regeneration. Solcoseryl ointment helps restore the skin. Balm Rescuer is used at an early stage for minor burns of the hand or finger.

Home remedy for burns

For thermal burns, Levomekol ointment is often used. It has wound healing and bactericidal properties. Additionally, this ointment has an analgesic effect, which helps facilitate the wound healing process. As an alternative to this drug, Vishnevsky ointment is often used; it also has an antimicrobial effect. A gauze bandage that is applied to the burned area can be moistened with an antiseptic solution:

1. Chlorhexidine;
2. Furacilin;
3. St. John's wort decoction.

Creams are used already at the stage of skin restoration and to prevent the formation of scars. When contact with the skin causes pain, it is worth using anti-burn agents in the form of sprays. They are sprayed directly onto the damaged area. Another form of release of anti-burn agents is gels, for example:

Medications

Various remedies can help treat burned skin. They differ not only in the form of release, but also in their therapeutic effect. Among the popular antiseptic, wound healing and disinfecting drugs are:

1. Betadine – antiseptic drug for wide use;
2. Karipazim – breaks down necrotic tissues, softens viscous secretions;
3. Solcoseryl – stimulates regeneration processes;
4. Amprovisol – exhibits analgesic, antiseptic, wound healing, anti-inflammatory properties;
5. Levomekol – antimicrobial ointment, effective even in the presence of necrotic masses and purulent discharge;
6. Inflarax – ointment with a wide spectrum of antimicrobial action;

Some drugs disinfect, others prevent inflammation, and others help skin cells recover faster. All of them are intended for external use. The following are considered especially effective:

1. Inflarax. Contains amikacin, benzalkonium chloride, lidocaine. Shows analgesic, anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory effects. Used to treat purulent-inflammatory skin diseases and to prevent suppuration of burn wounds. The ointment is applied 1-2 times a day in a thin layer to the affected areas. Another way to use it is to soak gauze bandages in it, which are then applied to the wound. The only possible adverse reaction is allergy. Contraindications: psoriasis, fungal skin infections, eczema, age less than 2 years. The advantage is that the therapeutic activity lasts for 20-24 hours.
2. Levomekol. Contains dioxomethyltetrahydropyrimidine and the antibiotic chloramphenicol. Has dehydrating and antimicrobial effects. Indications for use: healing of wounds and bedsores, boils, hemorrhoids, calluses, herpes, purulent acne. A napkin or gauze should be soaked in ointment and applied to the affected area. The course of treatment is 4 days. The dressing is changed up to 4-5 times a day. Contraindications: psoriasis, eczema, skin fungus. Side effects: local swelling, dermatitis, burning, hyperemia, urticaria.
3. Karipazim. Based on the milky juice of papaya. Shows necrolytic properties. Helps treat third degree burn wounds and speed up the shedding of scabs. The contents of the bottle are diluted in 10 ml of 0.5% novocaine solution or 0.9% sodium chloride solution. A napkin is moistened in the product and placed on the burn surface. The dressing is changed once a day. The course of treatment is 4-12 days. Contraindications: lactation, pregnancy, sequestration of disc herniation. The advantage is the absence of side effects. Sometimes only allergies are possible.

How to relieve pain

With a first-degree burn, the pain is searing, the second is more pronounced and piercing, the third and fourth are the most severe and sometimes even unbearable. In the last two cases, you need to see a doctor. For first and second degree burns, it is necessary to use special external means to relieve pain, since Panthenol does not contain pain-relieving components. Instead, you can choose the following drugs:

1. Radevit. Contains retinol, ergocalciferol and tocopherol. Has anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. Used to treat ulcers, seborrheic dermatitis, ichthyosis, eczema, burn wounds. The ointment is applied 2 times a day in a thin layer to the affected area. The advantage is the absence of side effects. Contraindications: hypervitaminosis A, E, D, prescription of retinoids.
2. Sulfargin. The base is silver sulfadiazine. Has bactericidal and analgesic effects. Sulfargin treats infected burn wounds, abrasions, bedsores, and skin ulcers. It is used externally - apply a thin layer to the damaged surface 1-2 times a day. After the procedure, itching and burning in the area of ​​use is possible. Contraindications include lactation, pregnancy, sensitivity to sulfonamides, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. The advantage is that it can be used for children from 1 year old.
3. Olazol. Contains benzocaine, boric acid, chloramphenicol, sea buckthorn oil. It exhibits antibacterial and local anesthetic effects. Helps treat burn wounds. Apply up to 4 times a day. Apply foam from a container to the cleaned surface in an even layer. Contraindicated in case of renal impairment, lactation, pregnancy. Side effects: cramps, nausea, headache, confusion, diarrhea. The advantage is a quick pain-relieving effect.

How to treat a chemical burn at home

Damage to the skin caused by chemicals is more dangerous than thermal burns. Do not wash the damaged surface with water. If the burn is caused by acid, use soda or ammonia solution diluted with water; if the burn is caused by alkali, use diluted vinegar or citric acid. The following recipes will help treat damaged skin in the future:

1. Grind fresh burdock or plantain leaves. Place the resulting pulp on the burn wound and place a gauze bandage on top. Repeat up to 2-3 times a day.
2. Wash half the pumpkin and puree in a blender. Squeeze out the juice through gauze and apply to the damaged area several times a day.
3. Peel one potato and grate it. Apply the paste to the wound for 40-50 minutes. If the skin continues to “burn,” grate another potato and apply it to the burn again.

How to anoint a child’s burn at home

First aid for a burn in a child has the same principles as measures for adults. Only after cooling under cool water should you apply a damp diaper to the damaged area. If the wound is open, then you need to cover the burn surface with a moistened linen or cotton cloth. If the burn surface is extensive, you should immediately call an ambulance before providing first aid. Children should not be given medications without a doctor's prescription. For external remedies, it is worth using sprays with an analgesic effect, such as:

1. Dermazin. Contains silver sulfadiazine. The main effect of the cream is antimicrobial. Additionally, the product reduces pain and discomfort in the area of ​​application. Dermazin helps treat burn infections, trophic ulcers and wounds of various etiologies. You need to apply the cream 1-2 times a day with a layer of up to 4 mm on the damaged surface. Treatment is continued until the wound is completely healed. Local side effects include itching and burning. The advantage is that it can be used from 2 months of age. Contraindications: premature babies, sensitivity to the composition of Dermazin.

Folk remedies

Treatment of burns with folk remedies at home is carried out in different ways. The main condition is that the lesion is not extensive, but there are only redness or blisters that do not cause discomfort (first or second degree burn). Self-medication with folk remedies for severe injuries is life-threatening. Effective against minor burn wounds are:

1. St. John's wort oil. Take 2 tbsp. St. John's wort flowers. Mix them with 200 ml of sunflower oil. Infuse the product for 21 days. You need to lubricate your skin with oil up to 2 times a day.
2. Aloe. Cut a leaf of this plant in half, grate it, apply it to the wound and bandage it. The lotion is left for a couple of hours. Repeat the procedure 2 more times per day.
3. Compresses with soda. It is taken in the amount of 1 tsp. per glass of water. You need to moisten gauze in the solution, which you then apply to the damaged area. The compress is left until the pain subsides.

What not to do for burns

Many traditional first aid methods for burns are not only ineffective, but also dangerous, since they can only worsen the condition. In case of such damage, you should not do the following:

1. lubricate the wound with vegetable oil;
2. puncture blisters;
3. use alcohol, iodine, brilliant green or urine to lubricate the wound;
4. clean the damaged area from remnants of clothing;
5. cover the wound with a plaster (it blocks the access of oxygen to the skin), apply a tight bandage;
6. Use tea leaves to wash the damaged area.

Video

What is a thermal burn?

A thermal burn is a burn that occurs through contact with a liquid, solid, or gaseous heat source. Such a heat source can be hot bodies, flames, steam, or hot liquids. The first place in statistics is occupied by flame burns (about 84% of all thermal burns), followed by burns with liquid substances and electrical burns (approximately 7% for each type). In 2% of victims, burns were caused by other factors.

A thermal burn can damage several layers of skin at once: epidermis (outer layer), dermis, subcutaneous tissue. Depending on the number of damaged layers, four degrees of thermal burns are distinguished. Often a burn includes all these degrees at the same time. Many doctors, when describing burns, classify them according to the depth of the damage: superficial, partial, complete.

The severity of the burn also depends on the area of ​​the affected tissue. It is expressed as a percentage relative to the area of ​​the entire surface of the skin. When roughly assessing a burn, the so-called “palm rule” is used: the area of ​​the human palm is equal to one percent of the body area.

Degrees of thermal burns

It is customary to distinguish four degrees of burns depending on the depth and severity of the injury. Burns of the 1st and 2nd degrees are considered superficial, 3rd and 4th - deep.

First degree thermal burn. The affected area swells and turns red. A person is disturbed by pain and burning, especially acutely felt when touched. The skin temperature in the affected area increases. The listed symptoms last for 2, sometimes 3 days, gradually disappearing. The burn site continues to disturb the victim for some time; the epidermis begins to peel off. Gradually (after 3-5 days) the injured area looks almost healthy.

Thermal burn of the second degree. This burn occurs due to prolonged or sudden exposure to high temperature. There is also redness and swelling of the tissues, but blisters also form. They are filled with tissue fluid exuding from dilated skin vessels. Later, the contents of the blisters, due to protein coagulation, turn from a transparent mass into a jelly-like mass containing leukocytes. The tissue fluid and the skin of the blisters themselves protect the tissues located under the lesion from injury and infection; for this reason, the blisters cannot be opened.

Patients with a second degree burn typically suffer from severe pain. But after a few days, tissue irritation and circulatory disturbance begin to decrease, and the liquid is gradually absorbed. At the bottom of the blisters, epidermal cells are actively dividing, and after a week a new stratum corneum begins to appear.

Third degree thermal burn. It occurs during prolonged exposure to high temperatures. It is characterized by skin necrosis - tissue necrosis, which can be dry or wet. When tissue is exposed to steam or boiling water, wet necrosis usually occurs. The skin becomes swollen, pasty, acquires a yellowish tint, and may become covered with blisters.

This inflammation occurs in a manner similar to the melting of dead tissue. When necrosis is dry, the skin is also dry, dense, dark brown or black. The edges of the area with dead tissue are clearly visible. Healing of burns of this degree occurs through scarring. However, when at least small areas of the germ layer of the epithelium are preserved, epithelization cannot be ruled out.

IV degree thermal burn. This, without exaggeration, is the most terrible degree of burns. Often such burns cover a large area. All layers of the skin and even tissues located outside it die: subcutaneous fat, tendons, muscles, bones. Several large blisters often merge into one huge one; the skin color becomes dark red, reaching black. Such damage threatens not only human health, but also human life.

III and IV degree burns are, of course, more dangerous, but superficial burns can also be fatal if they involve more than a third of the body surface.

First aid for thermal burns

The first thing to do as quickly as possible is to extinguish the flame (if there is one) on the victim’s clothing and skin. It is necessary to throw off burning clothes from a person or throw a cloth over his body to stop the access of air to the fire. A burning area of ​​clothing can be covered with earth, sand, snow, or doused with water.

Try to calm the victim and the people around him.

Carefully remove from the injured person any smoldering remains of things that do not get into the wound. Under no circumstances should you remove clothing that is stuck to a burn. You should also not touch the burned body with your hands.

If it is a sunburn, you need to move the affected person to the shade.

If you do not have information about what happened, quickly clarify the circumstances of the accident (“the child knocked over a bowl of hot broth,” “clothes caught fire from the fire,” etc.).

Hold the affected part of the body for 10-20 minutes under running cold running water (you can put it in a container with cool, clean water). This must be done so that the heated wound does not deepen or expand. In addition, it activates blood circulation in the wound. However, ice should not be used to cool the burned area to avoid the possibility of another injury - frostbite. In extreme cases (if there is no water nearby), cooling the wound with urine is allowed, but in practice there is almost never a reason to use this method.

Apply any available anti-burn agent to the affected surface, and apply a sterile (if possible) dry bandage on top. You cannot use cotton wool, only gauze, bandages - fabric materials. It happens that you have neither anti-burn agent nor sterile bandages at hand, then you should apply any dry, clean bandage to the wound. You should not apply any folk remedies to the burn: vegetable oil, vodka solutions, kefir, sour cream, etc. You should also not apply Kalanchoe or aloe leaves or other “miracle remedies” to the burned skin. In case of a first degree burn (if there is no extensive damage to the skin or blisters), the bandage may not be applied at all, only an anti-burn spray can be applied.

If there are extensive burns of the extremities, you need to carefully fix them with a splint (any available means), raising the burned arms (legs).

If a large area of ​​the body is burned and there are signs of burn shock (the person is weak, pale, has increased anxiety, there is tachycardia and a drop in blood pressure, cold sweat, breathing and heart rate are disturbed), you should give him as much liquid as possible to drink - juice, compote or plain clean water. Thanks to the intake of fluid into the body, intoxication resulting from the penetration of decay products of burnt tissue into the blood will decrease.

If the victim complains of pain, then in order to avoid painful shock, you should give him any available painkiller (spasmalgon, analgin, etc.).

If a person has no cardiac and (or) respiratory activity, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (artificial respiration, chest compressions) should be performed.

In case of severe burns, call an ambulance for hospitalization of the victim or independently deliver him to a specialized medical institution. It is preferable to use the services of an ambulance, since not everyone can accurately say in which hospital or department burns are treated. It’s good when it’s a specialized clinic or at least a specialized department.

Treatment of thermal burns

Treatment of thermal burns involves the use of various means.

These can be creams and ointments, gels and sprays, or special dressings impregnated with a medicinal composition:

Antibacterial and wound-healing ointment Levomekol is often used to treat burns. The use of this product allows you to achieve an analgesic effect. Levomekol can be applied from the first day after receiving a burn.

Povidone-Iodine ointment is aimed at accelerating tissue regeneration and also prevents infection from penetrating deep into the wound. This is possible thanks to the iodine included in the ointment, which acts as an antibacterial component.

If a person prefers to use products based on natural ingredients, then you should opt for the Rescuer balm. It contains no synthetic antibiotics or hormones. Applying the balm to the burn will allow the damaged tissue to heal in the shortest possible time.

For household burns, Panthenol Spray with dexpanthenol has proven itself well. Unlike analogues, which are cosmetics, this is a certified medicinal product. It does not contain parabens, making it safe for both adults and children from the first day of life. It’s easy to apply—just spray it on the skin without rubbing. PanthenolSpray is produced in the European Union, in compliance with high European quality standards; you can recognize the original PanthenolSpray by the smiley face next to the name on the packaging.

A burn is always painful. Often even the application of medications is accompanied by painful sensations. In this case, experts recommend using sprays. The method of their use is reduced to contactless spraying onto the affected surface, which ensures minimal discomfort during treatment.

You can also find anti-burn dressings on sale that are soaked in medicinal solutions. They allow you to relieve pain, accelerate healing and disinfect affected tissues.

To treat thermal burns, gels are often used, for example, Apollo and Burns net. They are suitable for primary wound treatment, as they have an antiseptic effect. These gels also make it possible to relieve pain and speed up healing. Therefore, they can be used at any stage of treatment. As studies show, the use of gels allows you to quickly clean the wound from dead tissue and prevent inflammation, which is the best prevention of further formation of scars.

If you get a serious burn, what should you do?

Of course, you need to see a doctor or, as a last resort, call an ambulance. In a specialized clinic (specialized department), under anesthesia, initial gentle treatment of wounds and the skin surrounding them is carried out with gauze wipes soaked in warm soapy water or a 0.5% solution of ammonia. After this, the burn surface is carefully washed with warm water or alcohol (40-70 degrees), dried and irrigated with antiseptic solutions.

Very dirty burn areas are cleaned with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Particles of the epidermis are removed from superficial burns with tweezers or scissors. Small blisters are not opened, but large detached blisters are cut at the base and then emptied by lightly pressing them with a gauze swab. For burns caused by tar or bitumen, use purified gasoline.

With the open method of treatment, a thin layer of a special ointment or another synthetic (biological) coating is applied to the surface of the wound. With a closed method of treatment, a bandage with a special ointment (synthomycin, streptomycin) or emulsion (for example, sulfidine) is applied to the burn. Vishnevsky's anti-burn oil-balsamic emulsion is also effective. Such dressings do not interfere with the healing of the burn, do not cause pain when changing, and provide high-quality protection of the wound from infection. The bandage is carefully bandaged, lightly pressing on the tissue. It should not move; if the disease progresses successfully, the bandage is not removed until 7-9 days. This period of time is enough for the burn surface to epithelialize.

If the limbs are burned, immobilization is required, i.e. temporary immobilization. Any position convenient for the victim can be selected. In order to avoid the negative consequences of immobilization, every 2-3 days it is necessary to pause immobilization in order to make movements in the joints.

There is no single correct opinion on what should be done with burn blisters. Some doctors quickly remove them, explaining that their internal contents are not sterile; other doctors release liquid from the blisters, but do not remove the blisters themselves.

To restore the body of a victim who has received a fourth-degree burn, prompt, competent treatment and skin grafting are required.

Forecast of thermal burns

Pathophysiological changes that inevitably develop in the body affected by a burn provoke disturbances in the vital systems of the body and even threaten human life. The prognosis largely depends on the area of ​​the lesion, the extent of the lesion and the age of the victim. Mortality from burns is high in old people over 60 years of age and children under 3 years of age. However, even for patients of this age, burns cannot be considered a death sentence.

A critical condition is considered to be 100% - a total burn of the first degree, and burns of the second-third degree when more than a third of the body surface is affected. Life-threatening are third- and fourth-degree burns that affect the genitals, face, perineum (if they affect 10% of the body surface), and burns of the torso and limbs if the affected area is more than 15%. For more accurate predictions of burns, special methods have been developed - the “Rule of Hundreds”, “Frank Index”, which take into account the depth, extent of the affected area and the age of the victim.

You need to know: if the thermal effect on the skin lasts longer than 1 minute and exceeds 45 ° C, this inevitably leads to overheating of cells and their death due to inactivation of enzymes, protein denaturation, paralysis of tissue respiration and other metabolic disorders. After the cessation of thermal exposure, hyperthermia in the tissues does not stop, but continues and even becomes more active!

Author of the article: Volkov Dmitry Sergeevich | Ph.D. surgeon, phlebologist

Education: Moscow State Medical and Dental University (1996). In 2003, he received a diploma from the educational and scientific medical center for the administration of the President of the Russian Federation.