There are several ways in which you can obtain a serious burn to your skin. The sun, hot liquids, fire, hot surfaces like a curling iron, chemicals and electrical contact are some of the most common ways to be injured.

Burns are classified into three classes. First, Second and Third-degree burn.
First-degree burns are generally mild and require little intervention or treatment unless it covers are a large part of your body.

Second-degree burns damage the outer level of skin as well as the secondary skin level. This is the level of injury that is most common to see in our medical clinics.
Third-degree burns cause the destruction of several layers of skin and generally require emergency care.

Things To Avoid Doing

• Don’t use ice or cold water to cool the burned area. This can actually make the burn worse.
• Don’t use cotton balls or other material that could have fibers break off and cause an infection.
• Don’t use butter or oil to try and treat a burn as they have been proven to be ineffective.
• Don’t burst a blister as that opens the wound and provides an open sore that can become infected.

Things You Should Do To Help

• Apply cool, not cold, water to help pull the heat away from the burn.
• Apply aloe vera or lidocaine to help soothe the skin.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
• Using an antibiotic ointment and loose gauze to protect the burned area.