What is Burn ?

Burns
Burns can be caused by flame,
UV radiation, hot liquids,
electricity, lightning and certain
chemicals. Major burns are a
medical emergency and require
urgent medical attention.
Types of Burns
Minor
Major
Area of Burns
• The definition of a major burn is
injury to more than 20 per cent of the
total body surface area for an adult. (In
general, one arm is considered nine per
cent, and one leg as 18 per cent.)

• For children, a major burn is

defined as injury to 10 per cent or more
of their total body surface area.
How to calculate the burn ?
Factors to determine the seriousness
of Thermal Burns:
 The depth. The deeper the burn, the more
severe it is. Three depth classifications are
used:

 1st degree – Superficial

 2nd degree – Partial Thickness
 3rd degree – Full Thickness
 Minor Burns
 First-degree burn

Outer layer of skin

 Red
 Swelling
 Pain

 Superficial - these burns cause

damage to the first or top layer of skin.
The burn site will be red and painful.
Minor Burns
Second-degree burn

First and Second Layer

 Blisters
 Severe pain
 Swelling
If the second-degree burn is
no larger than 2 to 3 inches in diameter,
treat it as a minor burn.
Partial Thickness

includes damage to the first and

second skin layers. The burn site will
be red, peeling, blistering and swelling
with clear or yellow-colored fluid
leaking from the skin. The burn site is
very painful.
 Minor Burns
For minor burns,
Including second-degree burns
limited to an area no rather than 2 to 3 inches in
diameter, take the following action:
Cool the burn.
 Hold the burned area under cold running water
for at least 5 minutes, or until the pain subsides.
 Cooling the burn reduces swelling by
conducting heat away from the skin. Don't put
ice on the burn.
Cover the burn with a sterile gauze
bandage.

 Don't use fluffy cotton, which may irritate the

skin.
 Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting
pressure on burned skin.
 Bandaging keeps air off the burned skin,
reduces pain and protects blistered skin.
Minor Burns
Caution
Don't use ice.
 Putting ice directly on a burn can
cause frostbite, further damaging
your skin.
Don't break blisters.
Broken blisters are vulnerable to
infection.
 Major Burns
Third-degree burn
The most serious burns are
painless and involve all layers of the skin.
 Fat, muscle and even bone may be
affected.
 Areas may be charred blacker appear dry
and white.
 Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, carbon
monoxide poisoning or other toxic effects
may occur if smoke inhalation
accompanies the burn.
Full thickness
 damage to all three skin layers, plus the
underlying tissues, muscle, bone and organs.
 The burn site generally appears black or
charred with white exposed fatty tissue or
bone.
 Yellow in the wound is likely to be exposed
muscle tissue.
 The nerve endings are generally destroyed
and therefore, there is little or no pain
experienced at the site of the full thickness
burn.
 However, surrounding partial thickness burns
will be very painful.
 Sign Symptoms
 Injury to lungs - in the case of respiratory burns.
Symptoms can include
 breathing difficulties
 whistling sounds when breathing (strider).
 Hypovolaemia –
 loss of plasma (blood) from injured blood vessels,
which causes abnormally low blood pressure.
 Heat loss (hypothermia) - since burnt skin is
unable to properly regulate body temperature.
 Cardiac arrhythmia - irregular heart beat.
 Kidney failure.
 Death.
First Aid
 For major burns
 Quick medical Help
 Don't remove burnt clothing.
 Don't immerse severe large burns in cold
water. Doing so could cause shock.
 Check for signs of circulation (breathing,
coughing or movement).
 If there is no breathing or other sign of
circulation, begin cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR).
 Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool,
moist, sterile bandage; clean, moist cloth.
 Electrical burns

An electrical burn may appear minor or

not show on the skin at all, but the damage can extend
deep into the tissues beneath your skin.

If a strong electrical current passes through your body,

 internal damage,
 such as a heart rhythm disturbance or cardiac
arrest, can occur.
 Sometimes the jolt associated with the electrical
burn can cause you to be thrown or to fall,
resulting in fractures or other associated injuries.
First Aid
 Look first. Don't touch.
The person may still be in contact with the
electrical source. Touching the person may pass
the current through you.
 Turn off the source of electricity if possible.
If not, move the source away from both you
and the injured person using a nonconducting
object made of cardboard, plastic or wood.
 Check for signs of circulation (breathing,
coughing or movement).
If absent, begin cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) immediately.
First Aid
 Prevent shock.
Lay the person down with the head
slightly lower than the trunk and the legs
elevated.
 Cover the affected areas.
If the person is breathing, cover any
burned areas with a sterile gauze bandage, if
available, or a clean cloth. Don't use a blanket
or towel. Loose fibers can stick to the burns.
Chemical burns
 Remove the cause of the burn
 by flushing the chemicals of the skin surface
with cool, running water for 15 minutes or
more.
 If the burning chemical is a powder-like
substance such as lime, brush it off the skin
before flushing.
 Remove clothing or jewelry that has been
contaminated by the chemical.
 Wrap the burned area loosely with a dry,
sterile dressing or a clean cloth.
 Minor chemical burns usually heal without
further treatment.