First aid for fire burns, boiling water burns

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Tran Van Trong - Specialist in Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery - Aesthetics - Department of General Surgery - Vinmec Danang International Hospital.

Statistics show that among the causes of burns, boiling water burns and fire burns are the most common. The wrong first aid treatment for burns can cause the wound to deepen, become infected and lead to many dangerous complications.

Regardless of whether the cause of the burn is fire or boiling water, first aid for a burn is to eliminate the cause and move the victim away from the area of ​​the accident.
Particularly for first aid for burns, initially use sand, water or coats, coats, blankets or large pieces of cloth... to extinguish the burning fire. Take off or, as soon as possible, tear off the upper part of the clothes that are still smoldering. If the clothes do not burn, quickly put on a large piece of cloth, blanket, robe of coarse fabric... on the body to avoid the skin being exposed to fire.
Then continue first aid for both cases according to the following steps:
Quickly immerse the burned skin in clean cold water to clean the wound to avoid infection, then gently rinse with cool water for at least 15 minute. This helps the wound to be soothed, avoiding pain, swelling, and the burn will not be further ingrained. Only cool water should be used, not ice or ice packs, as direct contact with ice can make the wound worse. Use a clean, sterile gauze or a clean cloth to cover the burned area, avoiding dirt and dust on the burn. In case of minor burns and small burn area, you can still self-care and treat at home. The burned skin is capable of self-healing, but in the case of a large burn, the burn is more severe, it is advisable to give basic first aid and then quickly transfer the burned person to the nearest facility or medical center in time. treatment time.

Dangerous cases occur when burns, fire burns on clothes and the victim panics and cannot handle himself. At this time, it is necessary to calmly perform first aid by following these steps:

Keep the casualty from running around panicking as any movement at this point will increase the chance of the fire igniting. Place the casualty in a lying position on the floor, with the burned part facing up. Use a large shirt or blanket of coarse material, wool, or felt to wrap the casualty and put out the fire, do not use flammable plastic. Have the person roll on the floor until the fire is completely extinguished.. Pour water over the person or with a non-flammable liquid if available. In particular, do not undress the victim. Clothing can then be close to the skin, taking off the clothes will give the fire a chance to contact the skin and cause more damage.

The notion that immediately applying toothpaste, or burn cream, python fat, etc. to the burn will heal quickly is the misconception of many people, doing so will only make the immediate wound worse. more inflammation. Only use cool water, not apply ice or ice to the wound, direct contact with ice can make the wound worse, because suddenly experiencing cold will cause the epidermis to shrink, the wound Burns will take longer to heal and are prone to ulcers. In case the burned skin area has a large area, do not take off clothes, the impact on the wound may cause infection or burning pain, so use scissors to quickly cut off the layer of clothing attached to the wound. Carefully remove personal belongings, any hard objects around the burned area such as rings, pants, shirts, shoes or sandals, etc. to avoid swelling of the wound. Absolutely the burn must be kept clean, do not apply toothpaste or any topical medication directly on it, which may cause infection. Performing first aid incorrectly can make the burn worse, making it more difficult to treat. In the event that the child is in danger of being burned, the child panics and cannot handle it by himself. At that time, parents and relatives need to stay calm and quickly conduct first aid for the child, keep the child still and avoid danger. Shocking your child will make the burn worse.

For families with young children, the most important thing is to avoid any risk factors that cause children to have a burn accident. Children are often hyperactive and curious, so they always need parental supervision. Parents should arrange all furniture in the house reasonably, things that are not safe to cause burns should be kept out of reach of children. Especially in the kitchen area, parents should be careful with gas stoves, electric sockets, newly boiled water thermos, cooked food, lighters, irons.
First aid for burns many people still think is simple and overlooked, but if first aid is not completely correct, it can cause superinfection of the wound and leave many complications. Therefore, each person needs to know how to do first aid when burned to best protect the health of themselves and their loved ones.
Dr. Trong has over 10 years of experience in Pediatric Surgery and Plastic Surgery - Aesthetic, and soon became one of the leading doctors in the field of Children's Surgery, especially Laparoscopic Surgery. and Plastic Surgery - Aesthetic.