Getting a slight burn is something that can happen quite often. It can happen while cooking or using something like an iron. A stray finger or splatter of cooking grease and you suddenly have that burning sensation.
A minor burn is not anything that should send you to the hospital, but it is very important that it is treated, burns can become infected very easily so you need to make sure that you take care of it the right way.
In this article, we will go over the steps to take right away when you get a minor burn that can be treated with your first aid kit at home.
Chill it down
As soon as you feel the burn, the best thing you can do is to run it under cold water. This will dilute the burn and keep it from spreading. If you burned yourself by cooking and spilled hot oil on your skin then this will wash it off before it is able to cause any more damage.
Not everybody will have access to cold, running water, however. Don’t be tempted to put ice on it as a replacement for the cold water. Chilling it down with ice can damage the skin of the burnt area.
Instead, look for other cold fluids. Maybe you are grilling and have a beer nearby. Or, if there is some soda or even milk then this is a good substitute.
Use an ointment
To make sure the wound doesn’t get infected and to get some pain relief at the same time, you need to use the right kind of ointment. There are many that are analgesic for pain relief and also antibacterial.
If you have an illness that makes you especially sensitive to infections when you have a superficial wound then you need to be very careful when getting burned and should try something like a Hydrofera Blue Classic wound dressing foam. It has broad spectrum antibacterial protection so the risk of an infection is very low when using this dressing.
If you don’t decide to use that treatment then you do need to apply some gauze to cover the wound. This will allow the ointment to absorb into the area. It will also help to keep out any dirt so the risk of infection is kept low.
Keep it clean
Take your gauze or dressing off every day to give it a good clean. Being gentle of course since the burn will likely be painful or uncomfortable. Use some warm, soapy water and a soft sponge to wash it off. Then pat it dry with a soft towel so you don’t cause any further discomfort.
After it has been washed then reapply the ointment and some fresh gauze or bandage.
Don’t pop the blister
The blistering effect is meant to keep the skin that was damaged underneath moist and the bacteria away. Once you pop it, then there is a high risk of that area getting infected as bacteria can easily get into the fluid.