HOW TO TREAT AND MANAGE BURNS AND SCALDS | DOCTOR EXPLAINS (plus first aid tips)

In this video you are going to learn how to treat a burn or
scald at home and when you should go to the hospital or
seek urgent medical attention.

Burns and scalds are damage to the skin usually caused by heat. Both are
treated in the same way.

A burn is caused by dry heat – by an iron or fire, for example. A scald is caused by something wet, such as hot water or steam.

They can look very similar and can cause red or peeling
skin, blisters, swelling and changes to the skin such as
white or charred skin.

Importantly, the amount of pain you feel isn't always
related to how serious the burn is and sometimes even a
serious burn can be painless.

1. Stop the burning process as soon as possible. This may
mean removing the person from the area, dousing flames with water, or smothering flames with a blanket, but if you are going to do this don't put yourself at risk of getting burnt as well.

2.Next remove any clothing or jewellery near the burnt area of skin, including nappies / diapers. But do not try to remove anything that's stuck to the burnt skin, because this could cause more damage.

3. Cool the area for 20 minutes with cool running water if possible. DON'T USE ICE

4. Keep the person warm.

5. Cover the burn with cling film - aka saran wrap. Lay it over the top of the burn rather than wrapping.

6. Use over the counter pain relief to control pain.

7. Elevate the burnt limb.

GO TO THE HOSPITAL IF YOU HAVE:
- Large burns bigger than the size of the affected persons hand
- deep burns of any size that cause white or charred skin
- burns on the face, neck, hands, feet, any joints, or genitals
- all chemical and electrical burns
- any other injuries that need treating
- any signs of shock – symptoms include cold, clammy skin, sweating, rapid, shallow breathing, and weakness or dizziness

You should also go to hospital if you or the person who has been burned:
- Is under the age of 10
- has a medical condition, such as heart, lung or liver disease, or diabetes
- has a weakened immune system
- have inhaled smoke.

More information:

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Disclaimer:

The video is intended as an educational resource only. The information within this video or on this channel isn't designed to replace professional input, so if you have any medical issues please consult a medical provider. No professional relationship is being created by watching this video. Dr. O’Donovan cannot give any individual medical advice. All information should be verified for accuracy by the individual user. Dr O’Donovan accepts no responsibility for individual interpretation of data, although it is always accurate to the best of his knowledge at the time of the video being published. This is an EDUCATIONAL video. Images are used in accordance with fair use guidelines.

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[emilykelly]

Thumbs up if your here with a giant burn blister...

[anjali]

Let us all take a moment to thank him at least to a lil extent 😊

[mxdclzm]

Am I the only one who watched this after I got burned and realized I have been doing this wrong all along

[MeinemLeben]

I am here to learn how to treat my burn from cooking. Oil spilled onto my 2nd and 3rd finger. My skin has finally blistered up but last night my skin was peeling off. I can tell it is definitely 3rd degree burns. But I am bull headed and refuse to go to A&E and sit for 5-6 hours before being seen. I will probably pay for private care to see a GP and get some silver cream or something.

[cabreranyc]

Great video!! Definitely helped me with my burn

[kylecduncan]

Thank you for this clear, concise overview. I scalded my leg in about a 3” x 3” area with one large (2” x 2”) blister. Not going to pop it. Putting anti-bacterial ointment, 100% aloe Vera, and covering with light dressing. Anything else?

[celtickitc]

DMSO Gel from tractor supply S21. Buy a jar, keep it in the kitchen cupboard. Used it today, nasty steam burn on 3 fingers. Immediately plunged fingers into DMSO Gel. After 20 minutes pain gone, fingers/skin 100% normal. Can't even tell I had a nasty burn. Lifesaver. Get a jar 😘❤

[kellenzaw]

Burnt my hands while cooking noodles. NOODLES.

[CMBauer]

Thanks for the tldr in the description! Just take a screenshot if you’re in a hurry.

[Hannah-Shaw]

Thank you so much, I recently burnt my thumb by a hot glue gun by accident as the flu gun fell over and slightly burnt my thumb . I did have to wrap my burn but since it is where the bend of the thumb is (joint) I find it quite hard to move my thumb, it has definitely calmed down and does feel a bit numb on the area of the burn which is common. . Hopefully it won’t burst as it is quite a circular blister 😂

[haniagul]

Thanks for telling. Burns have very much pain. Your ideas helped me alot

[samanthapadley]

Hi Doctor O Donovan, What do you put a defroffed blister what type of plaster do you recommend.

[pattiecakes]

Thank u Doc. Enjoyed the educational video. Just burned myself cooking so that’s a dry burn.

[abbysworld]

One thing to point out based on my personal experience with a 2nd degree burn on both of my feet from thinking I don’t need sunscreen on my feet (even tho at that time I was 13 or 14), the main reasons you should go to the hospital is if you can’t treat it at home, I just got lucky that a doctor told my mom about these huge bandages that my mom could put on both of my feet in order for it to heal and so I could wear shoes and could walk properly cuz it hurt so much that I was walking on my heels and I was bedridden for weeks, specifically I think it wasn’t completely healed until 2-3 weeks, my mom said that what she did is she first put medicine on both of my feet ( probably a cream or something) and then put the bandages on both of my feet, also one foot was really bad cuz immediately after it happened and I got in the car with my siblings to go home, my twin brother accidentally stepped on one of my feet (I had no shoes, he was wearing tennis shoes so it caused that blister to pot open) on top of that when I got home I was on the couch and I covered up, then I couldn’t take off the blanket, I either called my mom on my phone or yelled for her since the one that was opened was stuck on the blanket, my mom was able to get it off and told me to not cover my feet up (obviously when I got the 2 huge bandages I could), I was still bedridden even with the bandages but it at least meant I could wear shoes to go places and it made me able to walk properly, luckily I didn’t need to go to Urgent Care since a doctor told my mom how to treat it, idk how or who exactly, I could be wrong about her being a doctor but idk but it worked tho, so I suggest going to Urgent Care before going to the ER, mostly cuz it’s better to get advice from a doctor than from the internet cuz some people lie and could make it worse, I also suggest going if it gets worse instead of better, idk if my mom took me to Urgent Care or not completely but I do know a doctor told her how to treat it

[explorerjames]

Thanks, great video. Under what conditions should burn gel be used, and how?

[avonmusk]

I pulled a hot oven rack out while oven cleaning(said to heat to 200F) when i held the oven rack down taking it outside, some hot grease rolled off onto my shin. Looks bad. But barely hurts

[glendastennett]

Yep dropped the teapot on my foot. Looking for help. At the moment putting my foot in and out of a bucket of water, it kill’s the pain.

[Jesusandbible]

I arrived on this page, as I found in medical kits I bought for hiking, burn treatment sachets containing antiseptic and pain relief. Then I saw whole tubes of it on Amazon like "Acriflex" Red Relief burn dressings, Burn Soother, and cooling burn gels. Is anything good for minor burns to take trekking? Sudocrem??

[mclovinlife]

But what should you do in the days following? Should I leave it free from a bandage days after to let it air out? My burn is on my ankle, but it’s only the size of a nickel

[zoebear]

Hi...all of things would have been handy, if say I wasn't at the alterations and her iron burned my forearm, which oddly enough she never told me it was on or there. So I couldn't get to a water source. I did have a seltzer water can so I poured that on it until I could get home. I did put a wet cold washcloth on it when I got home. Today it's swollen and angry but I went to the hospital and they said to keep it moisturized and keep it covered loosely. The blister popped this morning and I have heart disease.