What to do with a burn with boiling water. Burning feet with boiling water: treatment at home. What not to do after a hot water burn


A burn with a hot liquid (boiling water) is one of the types of thermal damage. skin and mucous membranes of a person, which is associated with a traumatic effect high temperature water and steam. In domestic conditions, this type of injury occurs most often, and it is for this reason that people often lose their ability to work.

Burning with boiling water can occur after spilling hot liquid on the body, when a limb is accidentally placed in a bowl of boiling water, or when open areas of the body get under hot steam.

Most burns from boiling water are more or less calm, and do not provoke any serious complications. Much depends on the scale and depth of skin trauma, which in turn depend on a number of specific conditions:

  1. The temperature of the liquid and its appearance - ordinary boiling water (clean heated water) causes much less harm than a burn with hot syrup.
  2. The amount of boiling water on the body.
  3. The speed and pressure of fluid contact with the skin.
  4. The time of exposure to boiling water on the skin.
  5. Features of the skin that affect contact with high temperatures.

You can see a clear connection in the mechanisms of getting a burn. The greater the temperature and the amount of time that boiling water is in contact with the skin, the more severe the injury and its consequences. Given these data, it is possible to determine the volume of necessary therapeutic measures that need to be provided to the victim.

According to statistics, burns from boiling water more often affect the upper limbs (especially the hands), a little less trouble and feet, and very rarely scalded stomachs and chest. Small areas of damage, fortunately, are much more common than large ones.

Considering the degree and intensity of damage during burns with boiling water, it can be understood that there are no features here. The distribution, which includes 4 degrees, is quite simple and convenient. The first stage is characterized by the formation of hyperemic areas. During the second, blisters with liquid appear. The third stage proceeds with a pronounced wound surface or moderate bleeding. In patients with the fourth degree, the entire thickness of the skin and tissues that lie deeper are affected (but after getting boiling water, this stage is practically not diagnosed).

First aid

Treatment at home

After providing first aid, you can begin to treat the burn itself. Not all families have special anti-burn drugs in first-aid kits. In principle, there is no need to keep them at home, burns are extremely rare, moreover, they are not cheap and have a limited shelf life.

To effective drugs against burns with boiling water include:

  1. Panthenol is probably the most famous and the best remedy, capable of exerting a rapid restorative effect on the skin affected by burns. Thanks to its action, you can get rid of pain and burning sensation for a long time.
  2. Sulfargin - refers to the list of more modern anti-burn drugs. Sulfargin contains silver ions, which allow you to quickly and painlessly eliminate the wound.
  3. Levomekol is an antibiotic-based ointment that is applied to gauze and applied to the wound. The compress is changed every 20 hours. During this time, the drug copes well with swelling and eliminates pus.
  4. Olazol - spray antiseptic action with anesthetic ingredients. Thanks to the drug, you can quickly get rid of undesirable consequences burns.
  5. Polimedel is a polymer film designed to treat burns by accelerating the regeneration of affected tissues. After application, the product activates physiological processes in the affected area.
  6. - a drug in the form of a gel that enhances the regenerative abilities of tissues. In addition, it dries the wound a little, stimulates the processes of metabolism and tissue regeneration.

Of course, it’s good to have drugs on hand, but more often than not, victims have to use what they have at home. If you self-medicate at home, and use vegetables or fruits for these purposes, it is important to choose those products that have an alkalizing effect. To the most famous, and at the same time simple ways relate:

  • Fresh carrots, rutabaga and pumpkin are rubbed on a fine grater, or placed in a blender until a homogeneous slurry is formed. The resulting mixture is laid out on a piece of cloth, and placed on a place burned with boiling water for 1.5 - 2 hours.
  • The aforementioned gruel from vegetables is mixed with honey (in a ratio of 1: 1), until a paste is formed, and is applied to hyperemic skin or swollen blisters.

You can apply to the burn site:

  • Cabbage leaves, which were previously served with a hammer or rolling pin.
  • Peeled banana slices, cut into half a centimeter thick.
  • Sliced ​​pieces of apples, without peel.

If a person burns his tongue or palate, which often happens when drinking too hot tea or coffee, he can eliminate pain and speed up the healing process with any alkalizing product by holding it in his mouth.

Has a good effect ginger tea. To prepare it, it is enough to grate a little ginger root, at the rate of one tablespoon per one glass of water, put it in boiling water and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. You can simply dissolve ginger powder in hot water (1 teaspoon per 1 cup of water). You can drink tea 2 glasses a day, adding honey and a slice of lemon to it. It will help to quickly cope with the consequences of a burn, due to its strong healing, antiseptic and tonic effect.

During treatment, it is advised to exclude all acidic foods:

  • Beer and any other soda.
  • Dairy products and milk itself.
  • Chocolate, cocoa and coffee.
  • Meat.
  • Potatoes and rice.
  • White flour products.

What not to do after a burn with boiling water

Once in stressful situation, people can make the wrong decision, relying on various arguments of friends or relatives who are far from medicine. To avoid mistakes, you need to know the list of prohibited actions that cannot be done after a burn:

  1. It is forbidden to apply drugs on hot skin.
  2. In no case should burns be treated with irritants, such as iodine, brilliant green or toothpaste. They will not help, but will only exacerbate an already difficult situation.
  3. Some people still think that burns should be oiled. This is a misconception, because the oils block the access of oxygen to the wound. They can be useful, but only in the last stages of treatment, when you need to soften the skin.
  4. It is contraindicated to puncture the blisters and squeeze out their contents, because these actions are highly likely to lead to infection.
  5. Washing the burn with water in which citric acid or soda is diluted is simply useless. There is a myth that in this way it is possible to disinfect a wound, but in the end, the victim will only achieve complications and the formation of coarse scar tissue at the site of injury.
  6. Lubricate the skin fermented milk products(sour cream, yogurt, kefir, etc.). Some people think that these methods will cope with a burn better than many pharmaceutical preparations, but this opinion is a mistake. The acid that is present in fermented milk products will cause additional harm and provoke infection.
  7. You can not stick a patch to the burn.

When is the best time to go to the doctor

Most people do not consider burns to be a serious injury, even though they can cause severe complications. In fact, the likelihood of infection through the wound and the development inflammatory process at the site of the burn is very high, and this threatens the formation of scars.

A mandatory visit to the doctor is necessary if the burn is on the skin of the face. Also, the burn should be shown to a specialist if the fluid inside the bladder has become cloudy or red, or the surface of the blister remains in tension even several days after the injury.

For a high-quality opening of the bladder and treatment of wounds, it is better to contact a surgeon. Special attention require burns from boiling water in children, even if they look frivolous, it is better to show the baby to the doctor. The thing is that children develop complications much faster in the form of bacterial infection or inflammation.

A burn with boiling water or hot steam is a fairly common phenomenon that occurs in everyday life in both adults and children. A burn is an acute injury to the skin and tissues around it. You should quickly respond to the situation and correctly provide first aid to the victim with a burn with boiling water at home.

Burn classification

By origin, the following types of burns are distinguished:

  • thermal;
  • chemical;
  • electrical;
  • radiation.

Thermal burn occurs in 84% of patients who seek help for burns.

According to the depth of the lesion, such burns are distinguished:

  1. 1 degree. It is characterized by damage to the surface layer of the skin, the appearance of redness and swelling, pain. The burn goes away after 3-5 days.
  2. 2 degree. The lesion extends to the surface epithelium and penetrates deeper into the skin (partially).
  3. 3 degree. The lesion covers the entire skin. It is characterized by the formation of thick-walled bubbles. With more severe damage, tissue necrosis may occur and purulent inflammation which leads to scarring.
  4. 4 degree. Prolonged exposure to boiling water on the skin leads to a black scab and charring.

In case of a burn with boiling water, it is not necessary to contact a specialist. You can provide first aid at home, using medicines or folk remedies for burns with boiling water.

How to independently determine the area of ​​​​the burn?

There are 2 methods for determining the area of ​​affected areas:

  1. Wallace method. Its essence lies in the fact that each part of the body occupies 9 or 18% of its total area. The area of ​​one upper limb corresponds to 9%, lower limb- 18%, head and torso - 18%, inguinal region - 1%.
  2. Glumov's method. The area of ​​one palm is 1% of the entire surface of the human skin. Palms measure the burnt area of ​​the body.

These methods are convenient and do not require much effort.

  1. Application of an anti-burn agent to the skin without preliminary cooling of the skin.
  2. Lubrication of the skin with irritating drugs: iodine, brilliant green and medical alcohol. You should also refrain from vinegar and toothpaste. Harmful for burns are oils that lead to clogged pores.
  3. Bursting bubbles. This manipulation can lead to infection.
  4. Washing the wound with citric acid or soda. Only clean water may be used for this purpose.
  5. Applying cotton wool to the burn and fix it with a band-aid.
  6. Skin treatment with cologne. It causes burning and pain.
  7. Lubrication of the skin with sour cream or kefir. The acid of dairy products irritates the inflamed skin and delays the healing process of tissues.

Also, you can not tear off adhering clothes from the burn. It should be carefully trimmed with scissors around. Then a bandage is applied to the wound over the burned areas.

Thermal burn treatment

Burn treatment includes the following activities:

  • withdrawal pain syndrome:
  • prevention of hypoxia or its treatment;
  • correction of acid-base balance of blood;
  • replenishment of energy losses of the body;
  • fight against intoxication.

You can treat a burn from boiling water with the following drugs:

  • Panthenol;
  • Bepanthen;
  • Pantoderm and others.

Spray Panthenol is one of the most popular means with thermal burns

In case of burns, first stop interacting with the heat source and remove clothing. Then cool the skin with a jet cold water or ice. 10 minutes is enough to cool down. If the burn is 1st degree, then you can use Panthenol or other drugs, applying it to the entire surface of the wound. The healing process is much faster.

In case of a burn of the 2nd degree, it is necessary to carefully remove the clothes from the patient and apply an antiseptic bandage to the affected area.

With a 3rd degree burn, you can not do without the introduction of an anesthetic and a plentiful alkaline drink. In this case, it is forbidden to use ice and water the burn site. cold water.

To treat a burn with boiling water at home, it is allowed to use bactericidal ointments. These include Streptomycin and others. From antiseptics it is desirable to use Chlorhexidine or Dimexide in liquid form. Bandages can be applied to the affected areas and changed several times a day, then carefully remove exfoliated skin and wash it with aseptic preparations.

Important! Bandages should not be applied to the face, neck and groin. Deep burns are treated only in a hospital under the strict supervision of a physician.

Ointments can be replaced with bactericidal patches for burns, which are impregnated with special therapeutic compounds.

reduce pain during treatment for a burn with boiling water, you can use Ibuprofen or Paracetamol.

efficient modern means for burn therapy is Eplun cream. It has a number of useful properties:

  • antiseptic effect;
  • relieves pain syndrome;
  • accelerates tissue repair;
  • prevents the formation of scars.

Besides, this drug does not have side effects. It can be used for both adults and children.

To relieve inflammation on the skin, it is recommended to use Levomekol ointment. She is an antiseptic and actively fights against various types bacteria. Also, the ointment promotes accelerated tissue regeneration. Of the side effects after the use of Levomekol, there may be minor allergic reactions: rash, itching or redness. The ointment should be applied in the form of a compress, applying a small amount of the product to the sterile dressing and securing it tightly with a bandage.

Treatment of severe burns is carried out only in the clinic. First, the specialist conducts anti-shock therapy, then lubricates the affected areas with antiseptic ointment.

All treatment measures are aimed at the following:

  1. Removal of toxic substances from the body.
  2. Prevention of the formation of pus and the inflammatory process.
  3. Removal of dead cells.

With burns of 3 and 4 degrees, you can not do without surgical intervention. During the operation, areas with necrosis are excised, and skin plasty is also performed to improve appearance skin cover.

Traditional medicine in the fight against burns

One of the effective folk remedies for burns is raw potatoes. It is enough to grate it on a fine grater, then mix with 30 g and put the resulting mixture on gauze. Apply it to the burned skin, secure with a bandage and leave for a couple of hours. Repeat the manipulation 2-3 times a day.

Advice! You can get rid of a burn from boiling water at home with the help of egg white with cabbage. It is necessary to grind a small head, mix with raw protein and apply the mixture to the affected area.

In case of a household burn in a child, pumpkin pulp should be applied to the burnt area.

Note! You can anoint the burn with decoctions of various herbs. good effects has Veronica officinalis. For cooking remedy you need to take 1 tsp. raw materials and pour it with 150 ml of boiling water. Wait until the product cools down, then treat the affected area with it. You can replace Veronica officinalis with meadow clover or regular black tea.

You can lubricate the burnt area with an ointment prepared at home. The following ingredients will come in handy for this:

  • comfrey root;
  • unsalted pork fat;
  • 1 egg white;
  • sulfur;
  • camphor oil.

First, grind the root of the plant with a meat grinder, then add sulfur and 100 g of pork fat to it. Boil the mixture over low heat, then cool. While cooling, pour the egg white into the product and mix thoroughly. When the ointment has completely cooled, camphor oil should be added to it.

For elimination unpleasant symptoms with a burn in a child, you can use carrot juice. It is necessary to chop the vegetable in a blender, put the resulting mixture on cheesecloth and apply to the burnt area. The compress should be changed every 2 hours.

It is useful to treat the affected areas with fresh plantain leaves. They should be washed before use. hot water and chill.

For compresses and washing wounds, it is allowed to use a decoction of oak bark.

You can lubricate the affected surface of the skin with calendula ointment. To prepare it at home, you need to take 30 ml of calendula tincture and 60 g of petroleum jelly.

A decoction based on aspen bark is considered a good remedy in the fight against burns. You should take 60 g of chopped bark and pour 400 ml of boiling water, leave in a closed container in a water bath for half an hour, then filter and use the decoction externally.

Grated apples can be used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. The gruel should be laid out on the affected areas.

For burns with boiling water, it is allowed to use mummy. To prepare a healing agent, it is enough to take 4 g of mummy and a glass of water. Lubricate the burned areas of the skin with the resulting product.

An ointment based on beeswax. You should take 50 g of a pure product, grind it and put it in a 200 ml container. Warm the contents over low heat, then add 1 tbsp. l. unsalted butter. Bring the product to a homogeneous consistency, then add fresh chicken to it and mix everything again. Put the resulting composition on gauze or bandage and apply to the damaged area. Keep the compress for 1 day. After removing the bandage, it is recommended to wash the burn with a weak solution of manganese, then sprinkle the treated area with a crushed Streptocid tablet. It is recommended to repeat several times this procedure to get a positive result.

The burn can be cured for several days if you use an ointment based on synthomycin liniment. To do this, you should purchase 25 g of synthomycin liniment and 5 ampoules of novocaine in a pharmacy. Mix both ingredients in a glass container and apply to the affected area. In this case, it is forbidden to use bandages, since they will absorb all the remedy, and the burns will not heal for a long time.

In this article:

If you believe the statistics, then a burn with boiling water is the most common household injury. Therefore, each person should be able to determine the degree of this injury, provide first aid and know the rules for treating burns.

In cases thermal damage, the first step is to inspect the affected surface and assess the degree of burn.

Determine the degree of damage

I degree. It is characterized by redness and swelling of places of thermal influence. Sometimes there are small blisters with a clear liquid.

II degree. In places of a burn with boiling water of the 2nd degree, the skin turns red and swells. Formed blisters are opened, and a thin scab begins to form.

III degree. It is characterized by deep burns of muscles and bones with the further formation of a scab. Around the damaged area, there is redness and small blisters with a clear liquid.

IV degree. The fourth degree burn is considered the most severe, as the burnt parts of the body are charred. A burn with boiling water of this degree is combined with the third, second and first.

It often happens that the victim receives thermal damage. varying degrees. In this case, the severity of the victim's condition must be assessed depending on the area of ​​the affected surface for the deepest burns.

Assessing the affected area

The ability to determine the area of ​​a thermal burn allows you to choose effective treatment, and sometimes even increase the chances of saving the victim.

The easiest to understand way to estimate the burned area is the “rule of the palm”. On average, the area of ​​the human palm is 1% of the area of ​​the entire body. Therefore, it is with its help that you can calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200blesions as a percentage.

You can also determine the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdamage using the "rule of nines" method. It is based on the fact that the area of ​​the skin separate parts body of an adult is a multiple of or equal to 9. This rule applies for extensive thermal injuries for those over 15 years old:

  • Neck together with the head - 9% of the body surface;
  • The skin of one upper limb - 9%;
  • The skin of one lower limb - 18%;
  • The skin of the anterior and posterior surface of the body, 18% each;
  • External genital organs together with the perineum - 1%;
  • The skin of the entire front surface of the body - 51%;
  • The entire back surface of the skin of the body - 49%.

We provide first aid

In case of thermal damage to the skin, the following steps must be taken:

  • Get rid of clothes that got boiled water;
  • Immerse the damaged area of ​​​​skin for 20 minutes in a container of cool water. If this is not possible, then the burned surface can be substituted under a stream of water from the water supply. Cooling with water cannot be performed if the integrity of the skin is damaged and there is an open wound;
  • Apply to burned skin medications, which prevent the spread of burns into the deeper layers of the skin;
  • Apply an aseptic bandage or a clean, ironed cotton cloth;
  • Call an ambulance.

Self-treatment at home

Independently at home, it is allowed to treat small skin lesions, without the presence of infection. Wounds from boiling water should be dressed once or twice a day. Before starting the procedure, it is necessary to prepare all necessary materials and sanitize your hands. If there is already a bandage on the damaged surface, then it must be removed, after wetting it with hydrogen peroxide. Before applying to the wound medical preparations, the skin around it must be treated with a solution of brilliant green or iodine solution, but in no case should it be smeared on the burn itself, this will aggravate the situation.

In the treatment of thermal damage to the skin, both medications and remedies are used. traditional medicine. The victim has the right to choose the treatment option that suits him best, but before self-medicating, it is necessary to consult a doctor for contraindications.

Medical treatment

Answering the question of how to treat burns from boiling water, we can safely say that with medications, since they are the most effective and safe means of treating burns of the first and second degree. You can safely use them for a burn on your hand, leg, face or any other part of the body.

Today the most popular drugs are:

  • Panthenol- perfectly forms and restores damaged mucous membranes and skin, and also has metabolic and regenerating effects on damaged tissues. Panthenol relieves pain and burning sensation very well.
  • - this is excellent tool for those who do not know how to lubricate the resulting burn, as it is suitable for restoring and stimulating metabolic and regenerative processes. The components of the gel stimulate the processes of regeneration of skin cells, accelerate its post-traumatic recovery, and also contribute to scarless healing. Argovasna Nut activates metabolic processes in deep layers skin and reduces the manifestations of allergic reactions.

  • Riciniol- this antiseptic has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic, cleansing and regenerating effects. Riciniol contains a membrane that restores the cell membrane. And due to its special structure, the drug does not form a film and does not clog pores.
  • Polimedel- a polymer film that not only heals a burn with hot water, but also accelerates the regeneration of damaged tissues, and activates physiological processes in the area of ​​action.
  • Solcoseryl- the fat-free basis of this gel increases the regenerative abilities of tissues. It dries the wound a little, accelerates metabolic processes and introduces special substances into the burn area, which act as a building material for new tissues.

Treatment with traditional medicine

Folk methods can only treat small burns with a closed wound. Otherwise, you can introduce an infection and thereby aggravate the situation.

The most popular folk methods are:

  • Aloe juice. Juice-soaked gauze can be applied to the burn surface.
  • Tea. If you don’t know how to spread the burnt areas, then prepare ordinary tea. All that is needed is to make compresses with tea and apply them to the affected areas eight times a day.
  • Plantain. The freshly picked leaves are what helps to heal burnt areas of the skin. Before using the leaves, they must be washed with boiling water and cooled.
  • Blueberry. Burning with boiling water helps cure blueberries, which must be boiled for ten minutes in a small amount water. Cooled and crushed berries are applied to the burnt surface, and fixed with a bandage.

  • Potato starch. Ointment for burns with boiling water from starch is very easy to prepare. It is necessary to dissolve one tablespoon of starch in a glass of warm water, cool and apply to the affected areas three times a day.

What is forbidden to do with tissues affected by burns with boiling water

Most of us do not know how to cure tissues affected by boiling water, and this is not strange, because you can consult a doctor about this. But everyone should know about what is forbidden to do during the treatment of burns.

So, when treating burns, it is forbidden:

  • Pierce, peel, cut blisters without a doctor;
  • Lubricate damaged areas of the skin with any kind of oil;
  • Use folk remedies for open wounds;
  • Cauterize the burn with any substances (iodine, brilliant green, alcohol);
  • Remove clothing stuck to the burn yourself.

What you need to have in your first aid kit in case of burns with boiling water

If the treatment of burns from boiling water is carried out at home, then in this case it is necessary to have:

  • Bandage (sterile);
  • Antiseptic;
  • Medical gloves (sterile);
  • Solutions of brilliant green and iodine on an alcohol basis;
  • Solcoseryl gel;
  • Solcoseryl ointment;
  • Cotton buds;
  • Gauze swabs;
  • Patch;
  • Scissors.

From all of the above, several conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, all skin lesions are due to our inattention, so we need to be more serious about elementary rules security. Secondly, you should not panic, because the further recovery of the victim depends on your actions. Thirdly, do not self-medicate - it is better to contact a medical representative for advice.

There is always boiling water in any house - everyone drinks tea or coffee, cooks soup or boils water for other purposes. Therefore, cases of its careless contact with the skin of the hands, feet or body often occur. Finger burns are the most common. Children are especially often burned by dropping or knocking over a cup of hot drink. In this case, you must clearly know what to do with a burn with boiling water, otherwise the consequences can be disastrous.

Severe pain, blisters, itching - these are the main signs of burns. If you take immediate action, these symptoms can be alleviated. Advice from traditional medicine using some products will come to the rescue. However, if a large area is damaged, it is impossible to treat yourself, then you must immediately call the doctors.

First aid for minor burns

  • you need to quickly take off your wet hot clothes, trying not to touch the skin, especially if blisters have already appeared on it
  • the scalded hand or fingers should be placed under a stream of cold, but not ice-cold water for 10 minutes
  • you need to attach a bag of ice or snow to the burned surface of the body, you can use a damp towel or rag
  • if the house has panthenol, olazol or levomekol, you need to apply any ointment to the skin, this will reduce pain and help speed up healing


  • it is allowed to lubricate the scalded place with alcohol
  • in the absence of ointments in the first-aid kit, you must use folk methods treatment
  • It is not superfluous to put a clean bandage on the limb or bandage the fingers burned with boiling water to prevent infection of the skin when the blister bursts.

Prohibited remedies for burns:

  • vegetable oil
  • suet
  • sour cream or kefir

These products do not provide the benefits once applied, as many previously thought. They lead to skin inflammation, treatment complications, and even scarring.

Treatment of burns with folk remedies

After the burnt surface has been washed with cold water, you can apply to this place various means available in every home. This should be done immediately before bubbles appear.

Here are the most popular tips:

  • Raw potatoes work well. You can simply cut a potato in half and apply the cut to the skin or blister, but grating it is more effective. The resulting mixture should be applied to the burnt place, in case of a finger burn, you just need to hold it in a plate. A cloth bandage should be applied to the potato mass. After the mixture warms up, it must be replaced with a new one. The same therapeutic effect renders potato starch. They need to sprinkle the skin with a thick layer, then bandage not very tight
  • In summer, a fresh cabbage leaf will help. It must be torn off immediately, it should not be stored. Attached to the scalded place, a cabbage leaf should be wrapped for half an hour with a cloth, this will relieve pain, help remove redness, reduce the bubble


  • Burns of the finger or limbs heal well if moistened with cold strong tea leaves. Both black and green tea are suitable for this. The burnt place is poured with tea leaves, then wrapped with a cloth, also dipped in strong tea. It is recommended to do this procedure several times.
  • If aloe grows at home, its juice will also have a healing effect on the blisters. From the fleshy leaf of the plant, it is necessary to cut off the skin and attach it to the area affected by boiling water. Even better, crush the leaf and place the gruel under the bandage for the whole day or night.
  • Immediately after scalding with boiling water, fresh carrots, rubbed on a fine grater, should be applied to the area, wrapping it with a cloth. After absorbing the juice, the carrots are replaced with fresh ones. If a bubble appears, this method will no longer help.


  • From blisters, the usual helps well egg well beaten with a mixer. Dense egg foam should be applied to the skin and left to dry.
  • If available in home first aid kit alcohol infusion propolis should be wiped with the burn site after washing with water, then moisten the bandage
  • When a bubble appears at the site of the burn, potassium permanganate can be diluted in water. A weak pink solution should be very carefully lubricated with a blister, they are also impregnated with a tissue bandage
  • The surface affected by boiling water must be immediately lubricated sea ​​buckthorn oil by applying it with a cotton pad
  • If nothing is at hand, regular toothpaste will do. It is necessary to squeeze it out of the tube a little and apply it on the burnt areas.


A burn is an acute injury to the skin and underlying tissues. Burns are different: thermal, electrical, chemical, radiation. Most often at home there is a burn with boiling water. The severity of tissue damage during a burn with boiling water depends on its localization.

The easiest way to get a hand burn with boiling water is by accidentally spilling freshly boiled water. It is more difficult to get burned on the face, neck, inner shoulder and thighs, but in these areas the damage will be deeper even with short-term exposure hot water.

Leg burn (especially in the foot area), backs are less likely to be deep, heal faster. A face burn is life-threatening, since such injuries are often combined with damage to the eyes, mouth, and respiratory tract.

Depth of defeat

How to find out how deep the burn was as a result of exposure to boiling water, when you need to see a doctor and in which case you can handle it yourself? To do this, you need to determine the degree of burn and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdamage.

1 degree burn Only the superficial epithelium of the skin is affected, redness, slight swelling of the lesion site, and soreness are visible. Goes away on its own within a few days
2nd degree burn The surface epithelium and the deeper lying part of the skin are affected (partially). Initially, there is redness, swelling, then blisters with a thin wall are formed. The site of the lesion is painful, heals on its own within 10-12 days, if the infection does not join, scars do not form
3 degree burn All skin and underlying tissues are affected
  • A-grade: thick-walled blisters occur with the formation of a scab. Healing occurs due to the preserved glands, bulbs and epithelium
  • B-degree: more severe. When scalding with boiling water, wet necrosis (tissue necrosis), non-infectious purulent inflammation is formed, after which scarring occurs.
4 degree burn Occurs with prolonged exposure to boiling water on the skin with a small thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer. There is a black scab, charring.

For burns of the 1st degree and a small area of ​​damage (1st degree - less than half of the palm), contact a doctor at without fail not required, optional. If a burn of the 2nd degree occurs, especially if it becomes infected and inflammation increases, you should consult a doctor immediately. 3rd and 4th degree burns require immediate hospitalization.

The large area and depth of the lesion can be life-threatening. The criterion is the appearance of a total burn of 1-2-3a degree, occupying more than 30% of the body area. Burns of 3b and 4 degrees are dangerous even if more than 10% of the surface is damaged.

How to correctly determine the area of ​​skin lesions?

You can use one of the methods: the simplest of them are the Wallace method (“rule of nines”) and the Glumov method (“rule of the palm”).

  • Wallace method: the surface area corresponds to 1 or 2 nines (9% or 18% of the total body area): 9% for each arm, head, 18% for the front and rear surface body, each leg. The perineum is given only 1% of the body.
  • Glumov's method: the area of ​​1 palm corresponds to 1% of the body surface.

First aid

What not to do:

  • You can not immediately apply an anti-burn agent, you should first cool the skin
  • Do not lubricate the skin:
    • irritants - iodine, brilliant green, alcohol, urine, vinegar, onions, toothpaste and other "harmful" tips from books on folk treatment, since irritants will damage the skin even more
    • oils that close the pores (good only at the healing stage, but not immediately after getting a burn)
  • Puncture blisters - you can easily bring an infection
  • What to do with clothes:
    • if it does not stick to the skin, it should be removed quickly
    • if stuck, it should not be torn off, but carefully cut around the wound.
  • At thermal burn the wound needs to be cleaned clean water rather than citric acid or baking soda. Such wrong actions when burned with a flame or boiling water, they lead to scarring and longer healing, since citric acid is required for alkali burns, and soda for acid burns.
  • Even light burns should not be smeared with sour cream, kefir, yogurt - an infection may develop. The acidity of dairy products hits the inflamed skin even more, especially considering that today these products contain various nutritional supplements.

What to do with a burn with boiling water in the first place:

  • Stop the effect of high temperature (hot water burns are possible in case of a utility accident), remove clothing if boiling water gets on it
  • Cool skin immediately: thermal injury continues even after the hot water is turned off. Strongly heated tissues damage the surrounding healthy ones, so cooling in this case is essential. A jet of cold water is suitable for this. The duration of this event is 10-15 minutes.
  • With a 1st degree lesion, the best remedy for burns is Panthenol (analogues of Bepanten, Dexpanthenol, Pantoderm, etc.). It must be sprayed on the entire surface and left until completely absorbed. If you use Panthenol in the first 2-3 minutes after getting a burn, the skin heals faster.
  • Dexpanthenol, ointment 100 rub.
  • Panthenol spray 150 rub.
  • Panthenol cream 180-300 rub.

  • Bepanten, price 300-350 rubles.
  • Pantoderm, 180-200 rubles.
  • With a burn of 2 degrees and above, you need to carefully cut off the clothes, apply an aseptic bandage. If the face is burned, the bandage is not applied, but smeared with petroleum jelly.
  • In case of a burn of a significant area and depth, if possible, an anesthetic should be administered, warm (wrap and drink warm tea), organize a plentiful alkaline drink.

Further treatment of a burn with boiling water continues on its own or in a hospital (depending on severity).

So, how to treat a skin burn at home?

Therapy of the burn surface with medicated dressings is called closed treatment. It is this method that is useful for independent actions.

For 1st degree burns, use a bandage with medicine. The best ointment from burns - this is Bepanten. It is enough to apply it once, apply a bandage for 4-5 days. You can not change the dressing during this time, the skin will just have time to heal.

With a burn of the 2nd degree, treatment is carried out first by a doctor, and then independently. The doctor will hold the toilet of the burn surface and tell you how to treat the affected skin. The toilet of the burn surface without hospitalization is carried out with the defeat of a small area and without signs of shock. The procedure includes the following steps:

  • anesthesia
  • treatment of the skin around the burn with an antiseptic
  • removal of exfoliated epithelium, dirt, clothing
  • cutting and emptying of large blisters, the lid of the blisters is not removed, as it serves as a kind of protection for the wound under it
  • applying an ointment dressing with a bactericidal ointment (levosulfametacaine, streptomycin and others).

At home, the bandage is changed 1 time in 2-3 days until the skin heals.

Treatment of severe burns

Treatment of burns of 3-4 degrees is carried out only in a hospital. On admission, it is antishock therapy. Burns are open or closed. public method needed mainly for burns of the face, neck and perineum. 3-4 times a day, the affected skin is smeared with an ointment with an antiseptic or petroleum jelly.

All efforts are directed to the speedy rejection of dead tissues, the formation of a dry scab, the prevention of purulent-inflammatory processes, and the removal of toxic substances from the body. In addition, for burns of 3b and 4 degrees, surgery including excision of the area of ​​necrosis, closure of the defect and skin grafting.

Treatment of burns with folk remedies

Dear ones are not for everyone medical preparations. In such cases, a good folk remedy from burns with boiling water.

Alternative methods of treatment are suitable only for first-degree burns, since self-treatment of second-degree burns is fraught with complications that will lead to an ugly scar.

The softest and effective means , especially when a child burns with boiling water: pumpkin pulp, raw grated potatoes, aloe, honey, cabbage, raw egg white. How to apply:

  • just apply pumpkin pulp to the burn site
  • raw potatoes, honey: grate, add 1 teaspoon of honey to 100 grams of grated potatoes, mix. Put the mixture in cheesecloth, apply a lump to the burned area of ​​the skin, wrap it with a bandage, leave for 2 hours, repeat 2-3 times a day
  • : cut from an aloe leaf upper layer or grind, attach to the skin with a bandage, apply 2 times a day
  • cabbage, egg white: chop cabbage, mix with raw egg white apply to burned skin.

Products that take longer to prepare:

  • Veronica officinalis: pour 20 grams of boiling water, insist until cool, treat the burn site
  • red clover: pour 2 tablespoons with a glass of boiling water, insist until cool, use as a lotion
  • green, black tea: brew strong tea, cool to a temperature of 13-15 degrees, use in the form of lotions for up to 10-12 days.

What else can anoint the burn, if medicinal ointments not at hand? Self-prepared ointment, which sometimes acts more effectively than a pharmacy one.

  • So, you need to take 100 grams of spruce resin, beeswax and lard, boil everything and cool. You will get a miraculous ointment that cures burns in just 3-4 times of its application.
  • Another good remedy- this is an ointment from comfrey (its other names are honeysuckle, bone breaker). To prepare the ointment, you need to pass a fresh comfrey root through a meat grinder, add sulfur, rosin, unsalted pork fat. Boil all components, while cooling, add protein raw egg, mix. After complete cooling, add camphor oil.

Attention! By itself, comfrey is poisonous, so you can not take it inside without the supervision of a doctor.

burn disease

If boiling water has affected a person for a long time and damaged a large area of ​​the skin, it may develop dangerous complication- burn disease. This is how the body reacts to the traumatic effects of high temperature. Burn disease has 4 stages:

  • Burn shock: lasts up to 3 days. This changes the water-electrolyte and acid-base balance body, kidney function is significantly impaired
  • Acute burn toxemia: lasts up to 2 weeks as a result of the normalization of blood circulation and kidney function and the beginning of the absorption of toxins from the burn area. If the kidneys have not restored their work (this happens with severe burns), acute renal failure occurs.
  • Septicotoxemia: this stage occurs with burns of 3a degree and above, coincides with the period of the beginning of wound cleansing. There is purulent intoxication and dysfunction various organs: the appearance of ulcers in intestinal tract, pneumonia. The reason here is not microbes, but blockages of small vessels due to general violation blood circulation
  • convalescence: the final stage of a burn disease, continues until complete recovery.

Currently, minor burns are treated by general surgeons and traumatologists, while severe burns are treated in special burn centers.

In the sauna, you can easily get burned by hot air.

Everyone knows that a reasonable visit to the sauna is not harmful to health and even has a positive effect on the cardiovascular and immune system. However, advertising and the fashion for relaxation in the sauna in combination with alcohol abuse sometimes leads to tragic consequences. Many sauna lovers leave common sense and caution when visiting it (see).

In Finland, for example, several deaths are recorded every year from overheating in the sauna or the consequences of burns. Mostly they are men suffering from alcoholism. Spending 30-60 minutes in a sauna while intoxicated is fraught with deep burns and death. Usually, having come to the sauna with friends, wives, men stay in it longer, and if they are left alone, they can lose consciousness and in this case they are exposed to hot dry air for a long time. In this case, both the defeat of all layers of the skin, and deep damage to the tissues occur.

What happens when drunkenness+ hot dry air:

  • increased sweating leads to an increase in heart rate and an increase in platelets in the blood, which increases the risk of arrhythmias and other cardiovascular disorders
  • heated blood raises the temperature of the skin and body, causing pronounced erythema, which after a few days is replaced by a burn subcutaneous tissue, all layers of the skin and even deeper tissues.

Dehydration, intense sweating, thrombocytosis, low blood pressure, impaired circulation and immobility of the body contribute to the development of a burn for a short time. And alcohol increases both dehydration and falls. blood pressure, and arrhythmias, it disrupts skin circulation and causes overheating of the skin, especially its upper layers.

When a patient is admitted to the hospital with burns from the hot air of the sauna, the severity of his condition may be underestimated, since outwardly it looks like a slight erythema. Surgeons (without experience in dealing with such injuries) may underestimate the degree of danger of a burn to a patient's life.

Even with a relatively small area of ​​damage, this condition is the cause of disability and high mortality due to a combination of damage to deep tissues and deep necrosis. Be careful not to drink alcohol during wellness procedures in sauna!