From the Guidelines
To treat a superficial (partial-thickness) burn, immediately cool the affected area with running water, as this intervention has been shown to decrease the need for subsequent care 1. When managing superficial burns, it is essential to prioritize interventions that minimize tissue damage and promote healing.
- Cooling of burns with running water is a beneficial intervention with little risk of harm, as evidenced by a meta-analysis of observational data 1.
- After cooling, it may be reasonable to apply petrolatum, petrolatum-based antibiotic ointment, honey, or aloe vera and a clean nonadherent dressing to open burn wounds, although the level of evidence for this recommendation is lower 1.
- For pain relief, it is reasonable to give over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as directed 1. Some key considerations when treating superficial burns include:
- Avoiding the use of ice, as this can cause further damage
- Gently cleaning the area with mild soap and water
- Applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly or an antibiotic ointment
- Covering the burn with a sterile, non-stick bandage or gauze, changing it daily
- Keeping the burn moisturized and protected from sun exposure during healing It is crucial to seek medical attention if the burn is larger than 3 inches, affects sensitive areas, appears infected, or doesn't improve within a week. The treatment approach should focus on preventing further tissue damage, promoting skin cell regeneration, and minimizing the risk of infection, as supported by the most recent guidelines 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The burn wounds are then cleansed and debrided; silver sulfadiazine cream, USP 1% is then applied under sterile conditions. The cream should be applied once to twice daily to a thickness of approximately one sixteenth of an inch. Treatment with silver sulfadiazine cream, USP 1% should be continued until satisfactory healing has occurred or until the burn site is ready for grafting. The treatment for superficial (partial-thickness) burns includes:
- Cleansing and debridement of the burn wounds
- Application of silver sulfadiazine cream, USP 1% under sterile conditions
- Applying the cream once to twice daily to a thickness of approximately one sixteenth of an inch
- Continuing treatment until satisfactory healing has occurred or until the burn site is ready for grafting 2
From the Research
Treatment for Superficial (Partial-Thickness) Burns
- The treatment for superficial (partial-thickness) burns is directed towards promoting healing and a wide variety of dressings are currently available 3.
- Dressing selection should be based on their effects on healing, but ease of application and removal, dressing change requirements, cost and patient comfort should also be considered 3.
- Silver sulphadiazine (SSD) was consistently associated with poorer healing outcomes than biosynthetic (skin substitute) dressings, silver-containing dressings and silicon-coated dressings 3.
- Burns treated with hydrogel dressings appear to heal more quickly than those treated with usual care 3.
- Silver sulfadiazine is used widely as a topical therapy, and is a standard treatment for partial-thickness burns 4.
- Advanced dressings are required to protect the wound and promote a moist environment for superficial partial-thickness burns 5.
- Utilization of Aquacel Ag in superficial-partial thickness burns could lead to a decrease in the number of treatments required to re-epithelialize burns 100% with less pain as compared with silver sulfadiazine 6.
- A systematic review of silver-containing dressings and topical silver agents showed that topical silver was no better or worse than control dressings in preventing wound infection and promoting healing of burn wounds 7.
Dressing Options
- Biosynthetic (skin substitute) dressings 3
- Silver-containing dressings 3, 7
- Silicon-coated dressings 3
- Hydrogel dressings 3
- Aquacel Ag 6
- Silver sulfadiazine 4, 6, 7