Treating Burns at Home
September 14, 2009 by admin
Filed under Home Remedies
When the tissues, which are present in the body, are damaged due to various factors like heat, sunlight, electricity, chemicals and radiation, it results in having burns on the skin.
Causes of Burns :
There are many elements, which come under each factor that can cause burns on the skin.
- Heat - Burns can occur due to hot flames, hot grease, boiling hot water, steam, tar
- Sunlight – Solar radiation from the sun can also cause burns on the skin
- Radiation - Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and other forms of radiation like the arc of a welder, flood lamp of a photographer, a sun lamp and a halogen desk lamp.
When the skin is burnt, certain fluids will be lost and certain kinds of infection are also likely to penetrate the surface of the skin. People who have suffered from burns due to chemicals, electricity or some kind of explosion are likely to also suffer from breathing difficulties. This could be a sign that the person has had burns in more than one part of the body.
Types of Burns – Depending on the extent of damage, which has been caused by the burns, they can be divided into three categories namely:
- First Degree Burns – This is a burn, which only affects the skin, and this will be very similar to sunburn. The color of the skin will change to red but the sensation on the part of the skin, which has been burnt, will not be lost. These are very mild burns.
- Second Degree Burns – These burns are similar to first degree burns but the extent of the damage which has been caused to the skin will be much more because the skin will start having blisters and the amount of pain will be much more excruciating. It will take more than two weeks for these burns to heal.
- Third Degree Burns – Sensation on the portion of the skin, which has been burnt, will be completely lost in the event of suffering from third degree burns. The skin will turn completely white when it has been touched.
Treatment of Burns :
Small minor burns should be rinsed using cold water for a period of ten minutes. Burns, which have been caused due to chemicals, should be rinsed for a time period of twenty minutes.
All kinds of clothing, which is present around the area of the burn, should be removed in order to avoid damaging the skin further. Smooth material like cling film should be used to wrap the area where the burn is present in order to prevent the infection from spreading. Burns, which are minor, can be easily treated at home using painkillers and sterile dressings. When deep and extreme burns are suffered on parts of the body like face, hands and joints, it is always better to get it treated by a doctor. Such burns might require some kind of special treatment like skin grafting and separate treatment will have to be given in order to prevent contractures.
Precautions to be taken while Treating Burns :
Ice should never be applied on burns since this is likely to cause frostbite and this will damage your skin to a large extent. Butter and ointments should not be applied to the burns since they will not allow the burns to heal. Blisters on the burnt area should not be broken since they are likely to cause infection.
Home Remedies for Burns :
- A cloth, which has been soaked in diluted vinegar, should be applied on the area where the skin has been burnt. This will also help in avoiding any kind of pain. The dressing should also be changed on a regular basis. Cold vinegar can be applied to skin burns in order to make them heal quickly.
- Honey can be applied on the burnt area after it has been washed completely in order to make the skin heal.
- Baking soda can be sprinkled on the surface of the skin, which has been burnt. A cloth, which has been made wet using baking soda solution, can be applied on the burnt area and changed once it becomes dry.
- Colgate toothpaste can be applied on the surface of the burn in order to make it heal quickly.
- Plantain leaves have proved to be very useful for generations in order to treat burns. But this should not be confused with the banana plant, which has the same name. A small portion of the leaf should be smashed and then wrapped around the burnt area.
- Sap from the aloe Vera plant can also be applied directly onto the burnt skin in order to heal the skin tissues, which have been burnt.
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