First Aid: Chemical & Heat Burns
Stop the Burning
Remove the source of heat from your skin and any clothing or jewellery from around the burn, if its stuck don't force it. Rinse the area with cool water for ~20 minutes, do not use ice or cold water
Assessing the Damage
Call for an ambulance immediately if...
- You have any symptoms of shock
- You lose sensation or movement in any area; this is a sign of nerve or tendon damage
- You have a medical condition that means you need immediate emergency medical attention for your injury
- You are unsure if you need immediate emergency medical attention
- If you do not think you can take care of your injuries alone and cannot get yourself to A&E
Go to A&E immediately if...
- The burn is white, black, or dark red and dry, this is a third-degree burn
- The injury is to a joint, palm, your face, or genitals
- The injury is internal
- You have a medical condition that means you need emergency medical attention for your injury
- You do not think you can take care of your injuries alone
Burns bigger than your hand should always be seen by a doctor if possible.
Even if you do not fit any of the above criteri,a you can still go to A&E for self-harm, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, or other mental health emergencies. Self-harm and thoughts of hurting yourself or others is always considered a medical emergency. If you are unsure how serious an injury is, call your local A&E's nurse line (if in the UK call 111 or use 111 online).
Bandaging Wounds
Do not use gauze or plasters/band-aids on burns. Cover the burn(s) with a hydrocolloid bandage or other burns bandage. Clean Plastic wrap or tefla can be used as a bandage with petroleum jelly/Vaseline. Do not wrap plastic wrap around yourself, use tape instead. You can make a bandage similar to tefla. Change the dressing daily or if it gets wet or dirty and check for signs of infection (see below). Keep the wound covered till fully healed.
Wound Care
Change wound dressings daily, or if they become dirty or wet. Check for signs of infection when you change dressings (more info on infections below). Never reuse dressings and avoid picking at the wound or bursting any blisters.
If the wound becomes dirty, clean it with warm water and non-fragranced soap before redressing the wound.
Chemical Burns
Stop the Burning
Remove any clothes soaked in the chemical and rinse all areas that have come into contact with the chemical thoroughly with warm water for 30+ minutes. Do NOT attempt to neutralise the chemical.
Treating Chemical Burns
Chemical burns are hard to assess the severity of and often require surgical interventions and cannot be treated and home. If the burnt area is large, you lose movement/sensation is any area, or you have symptoms of shock call an ambulance. Absence of pain is not a good sign.
Infections
Seek emergency medical attention or call an ambulance immediately if you show symptoms of a serious infection, such as...
- Confusion or disorientation
- Feeling faint, dizzy, or fainting
- Irregular heartbeat and/or breathing
- Cold, clammy, pale skin
- Fever (body temperature of 38c (100.4 f) or higher)
- A red line coming from the wound
- Severe muscle pain
- Painful muscle spasms
- This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms, more info here.
A serious infection can be deadly and cause permanent disability, DO NOT attempt to care for at home. If you are unsure how serious an injury is, call your local A&E's nurse line (if in the UK call 111 or use 111 online)
Mild infections can often be treated at home. Symptoms of mild infection include...
- Spreading redness, heat, or swelling near the wound
- Increased or new pain
- Slow healing
- Thick, smelly, or discoloured drainage leaking from wound. Normal drainage is watery, doesn't smell strong, and clear or yellowish
Some redness, pain, and fluid leakage can be normal. If you have a medical condition or take a medication (i.e. immunosuppressants) that puts you at higher risk of complication or if you are unsure if you are able to treat your wound, seek medical advice. If you are unsure how serious an injury is, call your local A&E's nurse line (if in the UK call 111 or use 111 online).