From the Guidelines
For a burn to the left foot with an open blister, the most effective treatment is to cool the burn, clean the area, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover the burn with a non-stick sterile bandage, as recommended by the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1.
Initial Treatment
- Cool the burn by running it under cool (not cold) water for about 10-15 minutes to stop the burning process, as suggested by the 2024 guidelines 1.
- Gently clean the area with mild soap and water, being careful not to break the blister further.
Wound Care
- Apply an antibiotic ointment like Bacitracin or Neosporin to prevent infection, as recommended by the guidelines 1.
- Cover the burn with a non-stick sterile bandage like Telfa, then wrap loosely with gauze to protect it while allowing air circulation 1.
Pain Management
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (400-600mg every 6 hours) or acetaminophen (500-1000mg every 6 hours) as needed for pain, as suggested by the guidelines 1.
Follow-up Care
- Change the dressing daily or when it becomes wet or dirty.
- Elevate the foot when possible to reduce swelling.
- Seek medical attention if the burn is larger than 3 inches, appears deep (affecting multiple layers of skin), shows signs of infection (increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or red streaks), or if you develop a fever. The open blister indicates a second-degree burn, which damages both the outer layer (epidermis) and part of the underlying layer (dermis) of skin. Burns to the feet require careful attention as they're prone to infection and can affect mobility.
From the FDA Drug Label
Directions adults and children 2 years of age and older: clean the affected area apply a small amount of this product (an amount equal to the surface area of the tip of a finger) on the area 1 to 3 times daily may be covered with a sterile bandage Uses first aid to help prevent infection and for the temporary relief of pain or discomfort in minor: cuts scrapes burns
To treat a burn to the left foot with an open blister, clean the affected area and apply a small amount of bacitracin ointment (1 to 3 times daily) [ 2 ]. The area may be covered with a sterile bandage. Bacitracin ointment is used for first aid to help prevent infection and for the temporary relief of pain or discomfort in minor burns [ 2 ].
From the Research
Burn Wound Care
To treat a burn with an open blister on the left foot, it is essential to consider the following steps:
- Keep the wound clean and dry to prevent infection [ 3, 4 ]
- Apply topical antimicrobial agents to suppress microbial growth and promote wound healing [ 3, 5, 6 ]
- Use antiseptic-impregnated dressings to advantage skin cells and wound healing [ 3 ]
- Consider the depth of the burn when choosing a topical treatment, as superficial burns require optimization of re-epithelialization, while deep burns require minimization of microbial growth until the wound is grafted [ 4 ]
Topical Antimicrobial Agents
Topical antimicrobial agents play a crucial role in burn wound care, and the choice of agent depends on the specific needs of the patient. Some common topical antimicrobial agents used in burn care include:
- Antiseptics, such as emulsifiers, acids, oxidizers, and heavy metals [ 3 ]
- Antibiotics [ 3 ]
- Antimicrobial creams and ointments [ 5 ]
- Antimicrobial solutions [ 5 ]
- Antimicrobial dressings [ 5 ]
Prevention of Infection
Preventing infection is critical in burn wound care, and this can be achieved through:
- Early excision of the eschar [ 7 ]
- Use of silver-impregnated devices, such as central lines and Foley urinary catheters [ 7 ]
- Improved outcomes for severely burned patients have been attributed to medical advances in fluid resuscitation, nutritional support, pulmonary and burn wound care, and infection control practices [ 7 ]