Is it possible to wash a burn with water?

Burns vary depending on the cause that caused them, as well as their degree. Therefore, treatment tactics and attitudes towards burns are also different. A burn from boiling water or from another factor with a high temperature (thermal burn) is best treated immediately with chlorhexidine, then lubricate the burn site with Levomikol ointment or something similar, and from personal experience I can say that Vietnamese balm “Asterisk” helps very well with minor burns. . For minor burns, you can wash and shower, but do not rub the burn area. In case of severe burns, you need to contact a surgeon - there will be a different tactic.

In the first minute, when the household burn it hurts, to reduce the temperature in this place and get a pain-relieving effect, you can put your hand under the stream cold water. It will become easier. But there is a myth that it is not recommended to lubricate a burn with oil. You can introduce an infection, and you will not get any therapeutic effect.

It is good to treat the burn with Panthenol or simply hydrogen peroxide. And there is also a folk remedy - spread his laundry soap. This really helps, there won’t even be red skin if the burn is superficial. To do this, I keep a bathtub with a piece of laundry soap on the kitchen sink. I've used it more than once. It's amazing how things go away after a while.

Against self-medication, but the burn may not be severe. I used the ointment - I took Panthenol, I carry it in the car in the first aid kit. Of course, you can’t get a burn wet. And the ointment will work fine. It's cold. Not so unpleasant.

In case of severe burns, immediately go to the hospital or call an ambulance

Burn is different from burn. First of all, people are interested in whether it is possible to soak ordinary temperature burns from boiling water or hot objects with water. So, as a rule, these burns can be soaked. Of course, if the thermal burn is extensive and is expressed by the formation of large blisters, then it is better not to wet it. Such burns are usually covered with a sterile dressing and if it gets wet it can damage the blisters, and it is known that the burn site becomes very easily infected and can become inflamed. In addition, wet skin tends to stretch greatly and blisters burst easily. Therefore, it is not recommended to wet large blisters, but small ones and simply reddened skin can be wetted, but not rubbed. Also, do not forget that immediately after a burn you should cool the burn site as quickly as possible, and this is easiest to do with cool water.

The following degrees of burns are distinguished:

1. I degree – redness of the skin, accompanied by burning and pain;
2. Stage II - the formation of blisters with liquid, the blisters can sometimes burst and the liquid leak out;
3. III degree - coagulation of proteins with tissue damage and necrosis of the skin;
4. IV degree - deeper damage to tissues - skin, subcutaneous fat, muscles, and bones up to charring.

The severity of the burn also directly depends on the area of ​​skin and tissue damage. A burn always causes severe pain, and in the most severe cases the victim experiences shock. A burn can be aggravated by infection, penetration of toxins into the blood, metabolic disorders and many other pathological processes.

Burns from boiling water or steam

What can you do

1. It is necessary to immediately eliminate the damaging factor (boiling water or steam);

Cool the affected area with running water;

Cover with a damp bandage;

What not to do

1. Do not apply ointments, creams, butter, sour cream, etc. This may facilitate the entry of infection;

Tear off stuck clothing (in case of severe burns);

Chemical burn

What can you do

1. Place the affected area of ​​skin under running cold water and rinse for 20 minutes;

Chemicals must be neutralized. However, different chemicals are neutralized differently. In case of an acid burn, the affected area should be sprinkled with soda or washed with soapy water; in case of an alkali burn, it is better to rinse the affected area with diluted acetic acid;

What not to do

1. Chemicals penetrate deep into the skin, and even after they are removed they can continue to act, so it is better not to touch the affected area so as not to increase the area of ​​the burn;

Sunburn

What can you do

First aid can be provided independently, since sunburns are not severe and, according to the degree of damage, they are classified as I or II degrees.

1. It is necessary to immediately leave the sun and go to a cool place, for example, in the shade;

Apply a wet, cold bandage to the affected areas to cool and relieve burning and pain;

You can take a cold shower or lie in cool water;

What not to do

1. Do not treat your skin with ice cubes. This can cause the skin to die, which can lead to scarring. Do not wash damaged skin with soap, rub with a washcloth or clean with scrubs. This will increase the inflammatory response.

Do not apply alcohol or alcohol solutions to damaged areas. Alcohol contributes to additional dehydration of the skin;

Do not treat your skin with petroleum jelly or various fats. These products clog pores and prevent the skin from breathing;

Hogweed burn

Hogweed is a very common plant in mid-latitudes. The inflorescence of these plants resembles dill, and the leaves resemble burdock or thistle. Sosnowski's hogweed, named after the scientist who discovered it, is especially famous for its poisonous properties. It is distinguished by its gigantic size and during the flowering period in July-August it can reach 5-6 m in height. Hogweed produces a special phototoxic sap, and when it comes into contact with the skin, the effect of sunlight increases several times. This action can be compared to a magnifying glass collecting the sun's rays, which leads to skin burns or ignition of dry objects, such as paper. Even one drop of hogweed can cause a skin burn, especially if it is exposed to the sun.

Symptoms of a hogweed burn include redness, itching and burning of the skin. And if you don’t wash your skin in time and stay in the sun, you can get a severe burn. At the site of redness, blisters with liquid later appear.

What can you do

1. First of all, you need to wash off the hogweed juice with soap and water and treat the skin with baking soda;

Apply a bandage to the affected area of ​​skin with syntomycin ointment, ointment with dexpanthenol;

Of course, it is better to find out from your treating specialist whether it is possible to wet the burn. However, for minor injuries, patients rarely go to the doctor, self-medicating at home. The answer to this exciting question depends on the degree of damage, complications encountered and the general condition of the patient.

Is it possible to wet a burn when providing first aid?

Everyone has experienced the painful and uncomfortable symptoms of such injuries at least once. This can happen for various reasons: boiling water, sunlight, improper handling of chemicals and much more.

As first aid, in most cases it is recommended to place the burned area of ​​skin under cold water or apply ice to relieve pain, prevent swelling, and reduce possible complications.

Important! You can wet the burn in the first minutes after injury to provide emergency assistance, eliminate painful symptoms and reduce the affected area.

For all types of skin lesions (thermal, radiation, solar, etc.), cold liquid helps prevent deeper injuries. For chemical wounds, water can be used to wash away the remaining reagents from the damaged areas. But there is an exception - with chemical exposure to lime, it is necessary to limit the contact of the burned area with water, otherwise the localization may expand.

Is it possible to wet the burn during further treatment?

In the event of the formation of open wounds or blisters, experts always recommend washing the burned area with an antiseptic solution of Chlorgeskisin, Furacilin, Miramistin, in order to prevent infection, but it is not recommended to wet the burned area with water.

Important! You can wash a burn wound if there is a first degree injury, when the integrity of the skin is not compromised, infection is unlikely, so you are allowed to wash without restrictions.

When should you stop contact with water?

Is it possible to wash with burns, what to do with an open wound? Of course, regardless of the injury, you cannot forget about the rules of the hyena. But during bathing, the burned surface of the skin must be protected from moisture. Experts advise not to use water at all in case of any significant pathologies of the skin, regardless of the factor that caused the damage. This can increase complications, because the burn site becomes very easily infected, and there are various pathogenic microorganisms in the water.

Is it possible to wash a burn wound if blisters form? When fluid-filled blisters appear on the skin, constant contact with water can cause infection and inflammation. It is especially worth minimizing it when the blisters begin to burst and open; open wounds should be covered with a sterile bandage.

Severe injuries and extensive lesions of the skin should also not be subjected to systematic contact with water. Constant dampness on the surface of the injured area will interfere with healing, healing of the open wound, and may even cause suppuration in the future.

Is it possible to wet a burn? It is always better to ask your doctor; much depends on the area, degree and nature of the lesion. Almost any thermal or chemical injury can be washed with cold running water to prevent deep damage and complications when providing first aid. But in the future, you should not wash the burn wound; it is better to keep it open and dry, and if necessary, wet it with antiseptic solutions.