Burn injuries are painful and can range from mild to life-threatening. Immediate and proper first aid can make a big difference in the severity of the injury, reduce pain, prevent infection, and improve healing. Whether the burn is caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, or radiation, knowing how to provide effective first aid is critical.
This guide covers everything you need to know about burn injury first aid—the types of burns, how to respond right after the injury, and important tips to support recovery.
Understanding Types of Burns
Burns are categorized by severity into different degrees:
First-degree burns: Affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis). These burns cause redness, mild swelling, and pain. Example: Sunburn.
Second-degree burns: Involve the epidermis and the second layer of skin (dermis). They cause blistering, intense pain, swelling, and redness.
Third-degree burns: Extend through all layers of skin and may affect underlying tissues like fat, muscle, or bone. The skin may appear white, charred, or leathery, and nerves may be damaged causing numbness.
Fourth-degree burns: Go even deeper, damaging muscles, tendons, and bones. These are medical emergencies.
Knowing the severity helps you decide how to provide first aid and whether to seek immediate medical attention.
Immediate First Aid for Burns
Step 1: Ensure Safety
Before helping, make sure the source of the burn is removed or controlled. For example, extinguish flames, turn off electrical power, or move away from chemicals.
Step 2: Stop the Burning Process
For thermal burns (heat or fire): Remove the person from the source of heat.
For chemical burns: Flush the area with large amounts of clean water to remove the chemical.
For electrical burns: Do not touch the victim if they are still in contact with the electrical source; turn off the power first.
Step 3: Cool the Burn
Cooling helps reduce pain and swelling and limits damage.
Use cool (not cold) running water for 10 to 20 minutes.
Do not use ice or ice water, as extreme cold can damage tissue further.
If running water isn’t available, use a clean, cool, wet cloth.
Step 4: Remove Constrictive Items
Remove any jewelry, watches, or tight clothing near the burn before swelling starts. Do not attempt to remove clothing stuck to the burn.
Step 5: Protect the Burn Area
Cover the burn with a sterile, non-stick bandage or a clean cloth.
Avoid using cotton balls or anything that can leave fibers.
Keep the burn covered to prevent infection and reduce pain.
Step 6: Relieve Pain
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) can help.
Elevate the burned area to reduce swelling.
Step 7: Seek Medical Help When Needed
Call emergency services or go to the hospital immediately if:
The burn is larger than 3 inches or covers the face, hands, feet, groin, buttocks, or a major joint.
The burn is third-degree or fourth-degree.
The victim is a child, elderly, or has underlying health conditions.
There are signs of infection (increased redness, swelling, pus).
The victim shows signs of shock (pale, clammy skin, weakness, shallow breathing).
What NOT to Do in Burn First Aid
Avoid the following common mistakes:
Do not apply butter, oils, toothpaste, or egg whites. These can trap heat and increase infection risk.
Do not break blisters, as this raises infection risk.
Do not apply ice directly to the burn.
Avoid removing clothing stuck to the burn.
Do not use adhesive bandages directly on the burn.
Special First Aid for Chemical Burns
Remove contaminated clothing immediately.
Rinse the affected area with cool running water for at least 20 minutes.
Avoid neutralizing chemicals with other substances unless instructed by poison control.
Seek medical help immediately.
Special First Aid for Electrical Burns
Turn off the source of electricity before approaching.
Electrical burns may cause internal injuries; medical evaluation is essential even if the skin damage seems minor.
Monitor for irregular heartbeat or loss of consciousness.
Call emergency services immediately.
Follow-Up Care After First Aid
Keep the burn clean and dry.
Change dressings daily or as directed by a healthcare professional.
Watch for signs of infection: increased redness, swelling, pus, fever.
Use moisturizers or aloe vera gel on healing skin to reduce dryness and itching.
Avoid sun exposure on healing burns.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional medical care for:
Any burn larger than 3 inches.
Burns on sensitive areas (face, hands, feet, genitals).
Deep burns with white or charred skin.
Burns causing breathing difficulty (inhalation injury).
Signs of infection or worsening symptoms.
Preventing Burns
Prevention is the best approach to avoid the pain and complications of burns:
Install smoke alarms and fire extinguishers at home.
Keep hot liquids and chemicals out of children’s reach.
Avoid loose clothing near open flames.
Use caution with electrical appliances.
Never leave cooking unattended.
Summary
Burn injury first aid requires quick, calm, and correct action to minimize damage and pain. The key steps are:
Ensure safety and remove the source of burn.
Cool the burn with running water for 10-20 minutes.
Remove tight items before swelling.
Cover with a sterile, non-stick dressing.
Take pain relief as needed.
Seek medical attention for serious burns.
Avoid common mistakes like using ice, breaking blisters, or applying home remedies that worsen burns. When in doubt, it’s always safest to seek professional medical help.