Treating Minor Burns
First Aid Tips for Minor Burns
The first thing you should do for a minor burn is to flush the burn with cold water for 15-20 minutes. Just use water from your sink, not ice water or ice, because this can make the burn feel worse.
****Never use any food as a burn remedy. A common myth is to put butter on a burn. Putting butter or any other food on a burn can actually hold the heat in and make the burn fell worse. Putting food on burns is another great way to make the burn get infected.****
Wrap the burn up with gauze or some other clean soft material. Do not mess with the burn for at least 24 hours so that it can begin the healing process.
After 24 hours, unwrap the burn and wash the area with a mild soapy water, and then re-wrap it. Two to 3 days after the burn happened, you can start applying aloe onto the site of the wound. You can either use a piece of fresh aloe which you slice open and rub the inside part of the aloe on the burn, or you can use an over the counter aloe vera cream or gel.
Gently rubbing liquid vitamin E from a capsule can help prevent scarring, and may also make the wound feel better. Once the burn starts to blister up, leave the blisters alone. When a blister bursts on its own, wash the area again with a mild soapy water.
If the burn does not appear to be healing after a couple of days, consult a medical professional. If at any time there appears to be puss or infection, consult a doctor immediately. The burn may be more severe than you thought.
Published by Laura Fleenor
I am a divorced mother of 4 children (one in heaven), college graduate, and a webmaster. I was born and raised in Southern Indiana, and have also lived in the Tampa, Florida area. View profile
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- Never use any food or food product as a burn remedy.
- Wrap the burn up with gauze or some other clean soft material.
- After 24 hours, unwrap the burn and wash the area with a mild soapy water, and then re-wrap it.