First Aid for Burns: Never open burn blisters
Created: 11/01/2022, 2:00 p.m
By: Laura Knops
What are the most important first aid measures for a burn injury?
How to treat burns properly and when a visit to the doctor is advisable.
It doesn't matter whether you're baking cookies or on the Advent wreath - one careless movement and you've burned yourself on the hot sheet metal or candlelight.
Burn injuries are particularly common in the run-up to Christmas.
Anyone who has ever suffered a burn in everyday life knows how painful even small burns can be.
Proper care of the injury is therefore particularly important.
While minor burns can be treated well at home, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible for extensive burn injuries.
What first aid measures are available, what you can do yourself in an emergency and when a visit to the doctor is advisable.
First aid for burns: How to react correctly in the event of burn injuries
The skin is particularly sensitive to heat.
Blisters form on the surface of the skin at temperatures as low as 55 degrees Celsius, and severe skin and nerve damage can occur within a very short time at higher temperatures.
Fast treatment appropriate to the severity of the wound is therefore particularly important.
This is the only way that the affected areas can heal well and severe scarring can be reduced.
A careless movement while baking a cookie and you've already burned yourself on the hot tray (symbol image).
© Imago
Basically, the following applies: While small and superficial burns can be treated at home without any problems, burns on sensitive areas such as the face, hands, joints and genitals must be visited as quickly as possible in the emergency room.
The same applies to major injuries.
The rule of thumb is: Doctors speak of large-scale wounds if the affected area is larger than the palm of a hand.
detect burns
Physicians make a fundamental distinction between a burn and a scald.
While burns are caused by fire, electricity, hot objects, or the sun, scalds are caused by hot liquids or steam.
Since the skin is usually more severely damaged in the event of scalding, the consequences are often more serious.
Typical symptoms of burns and scalds include:
flushed skin
skin swelling
burn blisters
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First aid for burns: what to do if you have a burn injury?
The most important thing in burns and scalds is to provide first aid quickly.
After first responders have removed the cause of the injury, it is important that they help the casualty remove clothing covering the wound.
The pain can be relieved somewhat by cooling.
Cold water, for example, helps with burns on the fingers.
Under no circumstances should those affected treat the damaged skin with ice-cold water, ice cubes or cooling pads.
This applies above all to large-area wounds, since hypothermia can occur in this case.
The rest of the body should also be kept warm.
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Prevent cooling
According to the German Red Cross (DRK), if the wound is cooled for too long or too intensively, circulatory stress can occur, which is even significantly more problematic in the further course of treatment than the skin and tissue damage caused by the burn.
The reason for this is that the loss of skin in burn victims throws the body's heat regulation out of balance.
It is therefore essential to avoid further cooling during the initial treatment.
Since the skin is severely affected by the burn, the burn can easily become infected.
If the injury is well cooled, the injured area should therefore be covered with sterile bandages.
Burn blisters should also not be opened under any circumstances, as germs and bacteria can get into the wound.
If the wound is open, an antiseptic gel can also protect against infection.