What do you use for a burn caused from steam on the top of your thumb?

Question

My daughter was heating some stuff in the microwave and she burned her thumb just under her thumbnail all the way to the knuckle. We've tried aloe-vera lotion and ice but nothing seems to work. It's not bad enough for the ER but needs someones home remedy. Help!

Answer 1

You could try letting her play with butter. Some people say that don't work but I remember when I was 18 or 19 and just got done fixing my mother cauliflower on the stove and just turned it off and picked up that thing the pan sits on (dont know what you call them on a gas stove) so I could clean under it and OUCH! Got burnt really bad so my mother said put butter on it. I took a small bowl and put a huge spoonful of butter in it and played with it with my burnt finger for about an hour and it quit hurting.



Hey (D) running water does not do a thing for burns, it may cool the finger while running water on it for two minutes, but once you stop the water it still burns! I have put my finger in water for 2, 3, 4, 5 minutes and just running water DOES not help!!!

Answer 2

Not much help now, but...

Whenever you get a kitchen burn, the best remedy is to immediately run cold water (from the tap/fawcet) over the burn for AT LEAST TWO MINUTES.
ie Stop whatever you are doing there and then. This get rid of the heat and stops progressive damage.
Obviously this depends on the degree of the burn, but most kitchen burns are remedied using this method.
The 2 minute thing is the key, as the skin will continue to "cook" and worsen if this is not followed.

If there is mild damage, gently flood the wound with aloe vera or similar natural compound and protect the wound with bandaging.. Never ever, ever use oil based items such as butter or margarine.

Answer 3

fist of all you have to run it under cold water for atleast 5 mins after the burn, because even though shes not actually touching something hot right now, the heat from the steam will continue to burn her hand untill it is cooled.

How bad is the burn? because different types of burns have to be treated differently.

if her skin is just red and she has no broken skin or blisters, she will just have to wait it out. try putting ice on it, it wont make it feel better but it will help it heal faster. this type of burn should stop hurting by tomorrow and go away in about a week.

if her skin broke from the burn you need to put an antibiotic cream on it incase of infection and then wrap a cloth or a large bandaid tightly around it (but not to tight, her blood still needs to circulate) sometimes the pressure will help ease the pain.

you could try giving her a pain killer, but the pain will go away in a day or two depending on how bad the burn is.
also, give her something to do to distract her from the pain such as watching a movie.

Answer 4

okay i've had tons of burns. from boiling water, from steam, from just about anything. i always seem to get bad burns. i always just wait it out. wrap it in a gauze pad and medical tapeand put some hydrocortizone or someting on it like that anti bacterial cream in a tube im not sure exactly. rinse it under warm water. its gonna hurt alot and theres really nothing you can do but take tylenol or a painkiller. burns hurt but really all the remedies for home aren't effective. i just wait mine out pretty much. and if you just let it heal it usually doesn't leave a scar. but cover it lightly too. i hope she feels better.

Answer 5

The honey idea is great, but run it under very cold water for about 5 minutes or so before applying it.

Answer 6

Plain White Toothpaste always works!!!
But for future, you should keep a cream called SSD. It is the best for all kinds of burns!!!

Answer 7

Apply pure honey.

Answer 8

for home use, try terramycin ointment. we use it at home for medication on minor cuts,bruises and burns.
i don't know what country you're from, but here in the philippines that's what we usually buy.