Types of Burns
Your specialist needs to look at your burn to decide how serious it is. They will search for signs of skin damage:
- How many layers of your skin are injured
- The size of the affected area
- The location of the burn on your body
- Any signs of infection, such as swelling or abnormal drainage
These signs of damage help your provider determine what degree of burn you have and what treatments you need.
Superficial Burns (First-Degree Burn)
Superficial burns, or first-degree burns, only damage the top layer of your skin (epidermis). A superficial burn is red without any blisters. It hurts when you touch it and may feel warm. Your skin may start to peel after a day or two. A sunburn is a type of superficial burn.
Treatment for Superficial Burns
Superficial burns do not typically need advanced medical care and will heal on their own. These burns can cover a large area of the body. If you or your child have a large superficial burn or severe sunburn, you may want to see a health care provider.
You can try at-home remedies to soothe your superficial burn pain:
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Cool the burn with cold cloth or compress. Do not use ice or water because it can damage the skin.
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Apply a non-scented moisturizer as needed.
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Take over-the-counter pain medications as needed.
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Protect the burn from sun by using sunscreen or covering it with clothing.
Superficial burns will heal without treatment in a few days. Your healing time depends on the size and location of the burn.
Partial Thickness Burns (Second-Degree Burns)
A partial thickness burn damages the top two layers of your skin. The top two layers of your skin are the epidermis and dermis. Your skin may be red and moist with fluid-filled blisters. Symptoms may change depending on how deep your burn is. These burns are painful and take about 7–14 days to heal. They sometimes need surgery.
A partial thickness burn can be caused by many things:
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Hot liquids or food
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Hot objects
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Flash burns
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Chemicals
Deep Partial-Thickness Burns
A deep partial thickness burn reaches further into the middle layer of your skin. You may notice blisters or dry, waxy skin that is white or dull red. Deeper burns may hurt, but nerve damage makes them less painful than other partial thickness burns. Painless burns may be a sign of serious nerve damage and may need surgery.
Partial Thickness Burn Treatment
Your treatment might be different based on your age, general health, and the severity of your burn. Seek medical help if you have any troubling symptoms:
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Redness or swelling
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Your pain increases.
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Your burn is on your face, hands, feet, major joints, or private areas.
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You notice signs of a deep partial thickness burn such as dry, waxy skin or blisters.
If you have any concerns about the severity of the burn, make an appointment with a provider.
Full Thickness Burns (Third-Degree)
Full-thickness burns are the most serious type of burn. These burns damage all the layers of your skin:
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Epidermis
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Dermis
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Bottom layer of fat called the hypodermis
You will not feel pain at first because your nerve endings are damaged. This burn is serious even though you might not feel pain. Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you notice signs of a full thickness burn.
What Does a Full Thickness Burn Look Like?
Your burn will look dry, leathery, and be different colors.
A full thickness burn can be caused by several different things:
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Electricity
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Open flames
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Hot objects
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Hot liquids and food
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Chemicals
Treating Full Thickness Burns
Full thickness burns need immediate treatment. Seek medical help right away. Full thickness burns almost always need surgery because your body can’t heal the damaged skin. You may need special treatment to heal your burn:
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Skin grafts (healthy skin applied to the affected area)
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Splints
If you or someone you know has a full thickness burn, apply a cold, clean cloth or bandage to the burned area. If possible, elevate the burn to prevent swelling and more pain.
Full Thickness Burn Healing
You will most likely need to stay in the ICU (inpatient care unit) to recover from a full thickness burn. On average, you will spend about 1–1 ½ days in the hospital for every 1% of your body that’s burned. Recovery time depends on different factors:
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Age
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Infection
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Pre-existing disease
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Steroid use
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Smoking
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A decreased immune system
Make an Appointment
Some burns can be easy to treat, while others can cause emotional and physical pain. Specialists in our verified Burn Center can give you the best treatment to help you heal. We provide support services to support you. Call 801-581-3050 or online to meet with us.
Verified Burn Center Experts
Why does it matter that we are a verified burn center? The American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons designed a rigorous review program that ensures verified centers offer the best care for their patients. This includes the whole patient experience from the time of injury through rehabilitation.
It also means we meet the highest quality of care available because we meet these high quality standards. The standards are for personnel qualifications, facilities resources, organizational structure, and medical care services.
