What is the treatment for a burn caused by wax strips?

Treatment for Burns Caused by Wax Strips

For burns caused by wax strips, immediately cool the affected area with clean running water for 5-20 minutes to limit tissue damage and reduce pain. 1

Initial Management

• Immediately cool the burn with clean running water for 5-20 minutes to limit tissue damage and reduce pain 1, 2
• Remove any jewelry from the affected area before swelling occurs to prevent constriction 1, 2
• Do not apply ice directly to the burn as this can cause further tissue damage 1
• Do not apply butter, oil, or other home remedies to the burn 1, 2

Treatment Based on Burn Severity

For Superficial (First-Degree) Burns:

• After cooling, apply petrolatum (Vaseline), petrolatum-based antibiotic ointment, honey, or aloe vera 1, 2
• Cover with a clean, non-adherent dressing 1
• Administer over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or NSAIDs for pain control 1, 2

For Partial-Thickness (Second-Degree) Burns:

• After cooling, clean the wound with tap water, isotonic saline, or an antiseptic solution 1, 3
• Apply a thin layer of petrolatum-based antibiotic ointment 2
• Cover with a non-adherent dressing such as Xeroform, Mepitel, or Allevyn 1
• Do not break blisters, as this increases infection risk 1, 4

Wound Care

• Burn wound care should be performed in a clean environment 3
• The type of dressing depends on the local appearance of the wound and the patient's general condition 3
• When applying dressings on limbs, prevent bandages from inducing a tourniquet effect 3
• In case of circular dressings, monitor distal perfusion 3
• Ideally, dressings should be re-evaluated daily 3

Pain Management

• Use multimodal analgesia with medications titrated based on validated comfort and analgesia assessment scales 1
• Short-acting opioids and ketamine are effective for managing burn-induced pain 3
• For mild to moderate pain, acetaminophen or NSAIDs are appropriate 2

When to Seek Medical Attention

• Seek immediate medical care for burns that involve the face, hands, feet, or genitals 1, 2
• Seek immediate medical care for partial-thickness burns covering >10% body surface area (>5% in children) 1, 2
• Seek immediate medical care for all full-thickness (third-degree) burns 1
• Seek immediate medical care for burns showing signs of infection or that are very painful 1, 2
• Seek immediate medical care for burns with signs of inhalation injury (soot around nose/mouth, difficulty breathing) 1

Important Considerations

• Silver sulfadiazine may be associated with prolonged healing if used for a long time on superficial burns and should be avoided for minor burns 3
• Topical antibiotics should not be used as first-line treatment but dedicated to infected wounds only 3
• Routine systemic antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended for burns patients 3
• For patients with sulfa allergies, use petrolatum, bacitracin-based products, aloe vera, or medical-grade honey instead of silver sulfadiazine 2