How Can I Treat A Minor Burn?

Did you immediately cool the burn by immersing it in cold tap water or applying a cold, wet compress?

Do you quickly and gently remove rings or other tight objects from the burned area?

Did you apply petroleum jelly, or a lotion containing aloe vera to the burn, after it had cooled completely?

Did you cover the burn with a sterile non-stick bandage?

Do you know that you should not apply ointments, toothpaste, butter or topical antibiotics to the burn?

Do you avoid popping burn blisters?

Do you take over-the-counter pain medications?

After the burn heals, do you protect that area from the sun (by wearing protective clothing, or applying sunscreen with a protection factor of 30 or more) to minimize scarring?

Based on your answers, there are several other ways that can help you treat a minor burn. It is very important to cool the burn as soon as possible by immersing it in cool tap water or by applying a cold, wet compress until the pain subsides. If you have burned your fingers, gently remove the rings from the burned area before it swells. When the burn has cooled, you can apply petroleum jelly, a lotion containing aloe vera or moisturizer to prevent the skin from drying out. You should not apply toothpaste, butter or ointments to the burnt area as this can cause an infection.

Based on your answers, you know a lot about how to treat a minor burn. You need to keep your burn covered with a sterile gauze bandage. This will keep the air out of the burnt area and protect the blistered skin. You should loosely wrap the bandage to avoid pressure on the burnt skin. If blisters appear, do not pop them, but let them heal on their own. If you need it, you can take some over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), naproxen sodium (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). First-degree burns are usually not serious, but they can still leave scars if not treated properly.