From the Guidelines
A burn is an injury to the skin or other tissues caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, radiation, or friction, and can lead to damaging physical, functional, cosmetic, and psychosocial consequences, as noted in the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1. Burns are classified by their depth, including:
- First-degree burns, which affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis), causing redness, pain, and minor swelling
- Second-degree burns, which damage both the epidermis and dermis (underlying skin layer), resulting in blisters, severe pain, and possible scarring
- Third-degree burns, which destroy all skin layers and may affect underlying fat, muscle, or bone, appearing white or charred with reduced pain sensation due to nerve damage For minor burns, immediate treatment involves cooling the area with cool (not cold) running water for 10-15 minutes, as recommended by the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1. Cooling of burns with running water is an established and beneficial intervention with little risk of harm, and may decrease the need for subsequent care in patients with thermal burns 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, as suggested by the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1. For more severe burns (large area, involving face/hands/genitals, or third-degree), seeking immediate medical attention is crucial, as burns can compromise the skin's protective barrier, increasing infection risk and potentially causing fluid loss, electrolyte imbalances, and in severe cases, shock or respiratory problems from smoke inhalation 1.