How to treat burns

Most accidents happen at home. Some of the most common types of accidents that happens at home are accidents involving burns. For example when a child is learning how to walk and pulls itself up by a hot pipe or a heater, or when a child who isplaying too close to candles, but also grown-ups who accidently drop a pot of hot tea. So, burns are common, but family members often don't know how to treat them. What first aid  can you apply to a burn?

First aid for minor burns

One of the body parts most commonly burned are the hands. For example, during cooking there is often fire, hot water and hot oil which can cause burns. Then, when somebody is burned, the first reaction is that cooling is required.  Usually the faucet is close by and is turned as cold as possible and opened all the way. Then, one moves the burned hand directly under the jetand a sigh of relief can be heard. After a minute or two the faucet is turned off, because the skin feels frozen and after another minute or two the burning feeling returns. What went wrong?

When your hand, or any other body part for that matter, is burned, you have to cool it for at least ten minutes. Only then the cool temperature has reached the bottom layers of the skin and the cooling is sufficient. To be able to do this, it's important the water is not cold, but lukewarm. Lukewarm water will still feel nice and cool to the burned skin, but can be sustained longer. It's also important that the burned body part is not positioned directly under the jet. The burn will make the skin tender and even the small pressure of water can damage the skin. To prevent this, let the water run a little bit up from where the burn is, so the water runs calmly down over the burn. Check the burn after ten to fifteen minutes of cooling. If the skin is only red, it's only a first degree burn and you don't have to do anything else. However, if blisters appear, or the skin is white or even black, it is important to go to a doctor first aid department of a hospital as soon as possible.

What to do when clothes are burned as well?

Sometimes larger areas than just the hand are burned. When for example tea water gets spilled, this may land on someone's chest or legs. In this case cooling is necessary as well and the only way to do that properly is in the shower. Take the victim to the shower as soon as possible and switch the shower to a lukewarm temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius. It is very important that you don't try to take off the victim's clothes. A lot of clothing is made of synthetic fabrics these days and when they are exposed to high temperatures they can melt and cling to the skin. For this reason the victim has to be placed under the shower with their clothes on, for ten to fifteen minutes. After that, when the skin is sufficiently cooled, you will have to go to the doctor or first aid department. There they can see what has to be done next. Often the clothing will be cut off of the skin before the burn is treated.

Sources: www.todio.nl