1

Lesson

Burn Degrees

By CaroneFitness

Burn Degrees

What is a Burn?

A burn is damage to the tissue caused by heat or a chemical reaction. Burns vary in severity from minor to critical or life threatening.

2

Burn Degrees

What is a Burn?

Not every burn is the same. In order to treat a burn, you will need to know more about it. You need to know:

• Depth: Is it superficial, partial, or full-thickness?

• Extent: What body parts does it cover and how much of the body?

• Type: Is it thermal, chemical, or electrical?

Burn Degrees

What is a Burn?

• Physical condition: Is the person with the burn very young or over the age of 60? Do they have special medical conditions such as diabetes or lung disease?

• Emergency conditions: Is the airway affected? Is the person in shock?

3

Burn Degrees

Depth of Burns

It is important to be familiar with the different burn depths. You may have heard the terms first, second, or third-degree burns. This refers to the depth of the burn.

Burn Degrees

First-Degree (Superficial) Burns

A first degree or superficial burn is a burn that just affects the top layer of skin. It causes pain, redness, and sometimes swelling, but it does not cause blistering. Sunburns are the most common type of superficial burn.

4

Burn Degrees

Care for First-Degree Burns

First aid care for First-degree (superficial) burns:

• Remove the source of heat• Apply cold water until the

burned area is cooled• Apply Aloe Vera or lotion• Take acetaminophen or

ibuprofen if needed for pain

Burn Degrees

Care for First-Degree Burns

Do NOT apply margarine, butter, or any oily substance to the burn. This can be harmful to the burn.

Superficial burns are generally not medical emergencies, but someone who has a first-degree burn over 50% or more of their body should be seen by a medical provider.

5

Burn Degrees

Second-Degree (Partial Thickness) Burns

A second degree or partial thickness burn is a burn that affects the top two layers of the skin. A second- degree burn is deeper than a first-degree burn and is very painful. The skin may appear red, blotchy, or even white.

Second degree burns blister and weep. To weep is to leak a clear, slightly sticky fluid from the skin. Second-degree burns can be minor, moderate or severe depending on the location and extent of the burns.

Burn Degrees

Second-Degree (Partial Thickness) Burns

Because the damage to the top layers of skin is more extensive, second-degree burns are at risk for infection.

6

Burn Degrees

Second-Degree (Partial Thickness) Burns

A person with a second degree burn should contact a medical professional if there are signs of infection, including:

• Pus-like discharge from the wound (yellow or whitish discharge—clear discharge is okay)

• Swelling that gets worse after 24 hours

• Increased redness around the edges of the wound

• Feeling feverish or achy

Burn Degrees

Serious Second-Degree Burns

A second-degree burn can be serious when it covers a large area, or it covers a sensitive area, including:

• Face• Hands• Feet• Genitals• Buttocks• Neck• Covering a major joint

7

Burn Degrees

Serious Second-Degree Burns

A medical provider should see a person with a second-degree burn larger than the palm of your hand.

If the second or third-degree burn is on a sensitive area, the person should also see a medical provider as soon as possible.

Burn Degrees

Care for Second-Degree Burns

Care for a SMALL second degree or partial thickness burn includes:

• Cool the burn by applying cold water

• Treat blisters or weeping area with antibiotic ointment

• Cover with a sterile bandage and change bandage daily

• Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain

8

Burn Degrees

Care for Second-Degree Burns

Medical professionals can prescribe a special antibiotic ointment that is beneficial in treating burns called silver sulfadiazine.

They may also order a tetanus immunization to prevent a life-threatening bacterial infection.

Burn Degrees

Care for Second-Degree Burns

Call 911 or the local emergency number if the second-degree burn is:

• Large (larger than the palm of the hand)

• In a sensitive area

Or if:• The person is having trouble

breathing• The person has signs of shock

• Pale appearance• Clammy skin• Confusion or Anxiety• Shallow breathing

9

Burn Degrees

Cooling

Cooling should always be done using cold water—not ice. Ice can cause more damage to the burned area.

You can cool the burn using cold, running water or by submersing the burn in cold water. It may take as many as 15-20 minutes to cool the burn.

Remove the source of the burning, including any burning clothes, but do not cool a very large burn (e.g. an entire limb) as it may cause hypothermia.

Call 911 for any burn that is too large to safely cool using cold water.

Burn Degrees

Third-Degree (Full Thickness) Burns

A third degree or full thickness burn is a burn that damages all three layers of the skin and may also burn the underlying fat and muscle tissue.

Third-degree burns kill the nerve endings in the skin, so they usually aren’t as painful.

Third-degree burns may appear black or charred or the skin may appear waxy or gray. The skin is dead so it doesn’tblanch—meaning if pressed, the skin does not turn pink afterward.

10

Burn Degrees

Third-Degree (Full Thickness) Burns

A third-degree burn is ALWAYS a medical emergency and requires medical care. A third-degree burn will require cleaning and removal of the dead tissue.

It may also require a skin graft or placement of new skin over the burn area.

Burn Degrees

Care for Third-Degree Burns

To care for a third-degree burn:

• Call 911 or the local emergency number

• Stop the burn• Cover with a dry, sterile dressing or

clean sheet or cloth• Monitor the person for trouble

breathing or shock; care for those conditions

11

Burn Degrees

Extent of Burns

Any second or third-degree burn that is larger than the palm of the hand requires immediate medical attention.

Very large burns can cause other emergency conditions such as shock and hypothermia.

Burn Degrees

Where is the Burn?

Any burn in a sensitive location needs immediate medical attention. Call 911 if a second or third-degree burn is located on the:

• Face or Head• Hands• Feet• Groin or genitals• Buttocks• Neck• Covering a major joint

12

Burn Degrees

Airway

Any burn to the airway is a medical emergency. Call 911 or the local emergency number. Burns to the airway can cause swelling of the airway. The airway may be burned by breathing in super-heated air.

Signs of an airway burn include:

• Difficulty breathing• Raspy voice• Coughing• Pain in the airway or lungs,

especially when breathing in

Burn Degrees

Special Considerations

Seek medical treatment for any second or third-degree burn if the victim is a young child or over the age of 60.

Medical conditions such as diabetes and lung disease can complicate the problem.

Any burn victim with chronic medical conditions should seek medical care for any second or third-degree burn.

13

Burn Degrees

Summary

There is a lot to remember when caring for burns.

• If you cannot tell how serious a burn is, get medical help.

• Try to cool smaller burns using cold water; do NOT use ice. Keep the wound clean.

• If it is a large burn or a burn on a sensitive area, seek medical help by calling 911 or the local emergency number.

• An airway burn is a medical emergency.

PresentedBy Carone

Fitness