How do i care for a 2nd degree burn... what is the difference between 2nd & 3rd?

Question

A lamp fell on my arm, it had no shade.... the bulb was HOT to say the least, peeled the skin back on my arm. I've been using burn jell, neosporin, and aloe. I let it air out and keep it bandaged equal amounts of time. Any tips or tricks? Blah blah, go to the doctor, i know thats what most will say so they can get 2 points, but i have spoke to my doctor, and they want me to come in so i can pay a $25 co-pay for them to more than likely do the same thing..... probably give me a "prescription"... any other ideas for natural cures? Things to reduce scars? Etc? Thanks!

Answer 1

Sounds like a reasonable regime. Check morning and night for evidence of infection about it. Take oral analgesics for pain relief.

Burn care is a contentious subject and many different wound specialists use different regimes, and many of them work okay.

The neosporin is a reasonable thing to try and prevent infections. Some people say it delays healing a little. The price you pay for not delaying healing is a slightly increased risk of infection.

The difference between second degree (deep partial thickness in the new jargon) and a third degree (full thickness) burn is that the full thickness burn also burns the layer where the nerves are. It is classically leathery and white (no blood supply). The nerves being burned means that it is in fact anaesthetic and you have no feeling there.

A second degree (deep partial thickness burn) is often red, blistered and very painful.

If you think you have a third degree burn, or if you are unsure, you should get a doctor to look at it because you may need skin grafting to fix a full thickness burn.

Answer 2

The difference between a 2nd and 3rd degree burn is the thickness of skin layers damaged. I'm sure you already know that your burn is considered to be a 2nd degree burn.

A second degree burn (partial thickness burn) is characterized by blistering. This type of burn is very painful, because the nerve endings are still intact. Keep the injured area clean and free of debris. Hopefully you have submerged it in cold water to stop the burning process. Avoid any petroleum based ointments - these have an insulating effect, which keeps heat in, causing further damage. Aloe & burn jel are fine. Neosporin is also good for the exposed layers of dermis, to keep them from becoming infected. To make a long story short - you are doing just fine caring for the injury.

A third degree burn (full thickness burn) is a burn that damages all layers of skin down to the fatty layer underneath. This burn usually doesn't hurt, because the nerves are permanently damaged. This type of burn is also life-threatening, if more than a certain percentage of the body is affected. This type of burn requires removal of the dead tissue, and skin grafting. It takes a very long time to heal.

Save yourself the co-pay. Unless the burn becomes infected, characterized by intense swelling around and below the burn site - you can care for this yourself.

Answer 3

2nd Degree burns ('partial; thickness') involve damage to the skin, but not the underlying muscles, etc. 3rd degree (full thickness) involve the underlying structures. It sounds like you had a 2nd degree.

Home care for a small 2nd degree burn is simple:
- Get away from the burning situation.
- Cool the burn with plenty of cool water.
- LOOSELY cover the burn with sterile cloths if the skin is broken.
- Keep it clean an use water as needed to cool it off more to reduce pain. (Some specialty bandages are mostly water, such as Spenco Second Skin, and work well at this point.)
- Use aspirin or similar product to reduce pain as well.
- Avoid any lotion, ointment, gel, or cream during the initial healing process. None of it helps, and a lot of it can delay the healing.

As the wound begins to heal, common problems are general pain and sensitivity to touch. Use aspirin and cool packs for pain, and light bandaging to minimize rubbing or touching. Keep it clean and let the scab form naturally.

If it is kept clean and covered, there is really not much need for any ointments or anything, although a good anti-biotic ointment or some Vitamin A&D type ointment can help with the healing some and help keep the site moist between bandage changes.

Aloe is just water as far as the burn is concerened- expensive, slightly astringant water. Burn gels are mostly worthless (especially the zinc oxide-based gels).

Good luck!

Answer 4

1 Stop the burning with cold water
2. Evaluate degree of burn and surface area covered
- 1st degree red and painful , slight of no blisters
-2nd painful red blistering or peeling , 2nd layer of skin involved
-3rd not painful , full thickness burn, may be black or blanched
-4th all layers severly burned including bone
3. If it is a very small , unimportant area and you dont care about scars , and it isn't infected you can probably care for it at home
but don't use all that crap on it ! Buy a triple antibiotic ointment at the pharmacy and apply a light layer to it 3 times a day making sure to clean area gently before applying ointment. Only cover it when you are out of the house and may risk infecting the wound.

As always use your best judgement when taking my advice and if you have poor judgement than by all means go to a doctor who has years of training and experience making judgements. Oh and get a lampshade !! :-)

As far as a scar , oral vitamin e can help prevent scars , and when the wound is healed topical vitamin E can reduce scars . By a big bottle of the gel caps and take orally or apply directly to closed wound.

Answer 5

If it's a very small area, then I'd say your wasting money going to the Doc's. The difference is 2nd degree equals blistering and 3rd is burnt skin. Not sure what burn jell is BUT no vaseline jelly! It's a petrolieum based jelly and as such does more damage then good. Neosporin and Bandages are fine, change twice a day. If a foul smell develops and redness increases around the border of the burn, I'd consider seeing a doc. Vitamin E is also good for burns...

Adam
Deridder,LA

Answer 6

if the whole wound hurts, then you havent hit 3rd degree yet. when you hit 3rd degree, the middle of the wound wont hurt but the outside will. thats because 3rd degree burns kill the nerves.

if its 3rd degree, i would probably go in and have it looked at because those can sometimes have problems healing. if its only 2nd degree, i would say keep an aye on it. you would probably only need to go in if it gets worse.

the best way to care for a burn like that would be to make sure that its always moist. you DONT want the skin to dry out. you also MUST keep it clean. when the skin is burned, its really easy to get it infected.

finally, i know it can really hurt... burns are, in my opinion, the most painful thing to have to bear. take your asprin and grit your teeth. it may take a couple weeks to fully heal, and it will probably hurt a lot for the first week.

just remember to keep it moist and once it starts healing, dont pick at the scab. thats how you will avoid a scar.

Answer 7

3rd degree burns burn all the way through your skin and do damage to your nerve endings.

I HIGHLY DOUBT a lamp gave you a second degree burn. BOTH 2nd adn 3rd degree burns are very deep into your skin, can cause peeling, blistering and nerve damage - AND NEED TO BE TENDED TO BY A DOCTOR DUE TO THE RISK OF INFECTION.

All of the oinments and gels you are putting on the burn INCREASE YOUR RISK OF INFECTION.

If it is a 1st degree burn, only on the surface of your skin - you should have flushed it with cold water first, and applied cooling gel and a bandage.

For second and third degree burns they need to be COVERED with DRY bandages to prevent infection.

Sometimes the $25 co-pay is worth the expense.

Answer 8

First, pay the copay. That burn could get infected, and you would have much more to pay than $25.

3rd degree burns involve not only the skin and flesh, but the nerves have also been burned off. Those involve skin grafts and are the most horrible thing you will ever see or feel.

Answer 9

Second degree burns are partial thickens/ superficial and will have superficial (papillary) dermis blisters, clear fluid, and pain

Third- or fourth-degree occur when dermis and underlying tissue and possibly fascia, bone, or muscle is affected. It looks like hard, leather-like eschar, purple fluid, no sensation (insensate)
Third-degree burns additionally have charring of the skin


You should run under cold water until it stops hurting and after that you sound like you are doing the right thing. If symptoms pursue see a doctor. (get a health system that doesn't charge as $25 to see your doctor sucks)

Answer 10

the foolish virgins are liken to the unbelievers/slothful/lazy and easy going guys. the wise virgins are liken to those obedient child, industrious, diligent, loving, always prepared and giving heed to instructions. Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.