What to do if you burn your hand...?

Question

I was cooking potatoes in the microwave...and when I went to take them out...one exploded...onto my hand. It burned it really badly...and I don't know what to do. Its red...and it feels cold...even though I know its not...what can I do? I've put burn cream on it...and I've wrapped it in gauze...PLEASE HELP! Thanks!

Who knew potatoes exploded in the microwave?

Answer 1

TAKE THE BURN CREAM OFF ASAP! Prolly too late now but next time you burn yourself.....immediately put your hand or whatever body part under cold running water. Leave it there for at least 10-15 minutes so it can cool the tissues underneath to prevent it from continuing to burn within. Never put any kind of cream or balm or such on it because that will contain the heat and keep it burning.

Answer 2

Unwrap it! Run cold water over it for 10 -15 minutes. This will help to stop the burning that is taking place beneath the top layer of skin. DO NOT PUT ICE on it. This can actually cause tissue damage. If it is just red, you should be okay -it's like a sunburn. If it has blisters or develops areas that don't hurt anymore you need to get to the e.r. They will evaluate the depth of the burn and give you a prescription antibiotic that will with the scarring as well as something for pain.

I worked on the burn unit at a large hospital in Ohio and will tell you from experience that the latter 2 types of burns on a hand can spell major problems. It may take hours for the burn to convert from the red to either of the other two degrees. Keep it uncovered and don't put any cream on it for a while. You'll just hold the heat in from the burn and make it worse. Good luck and keep an eye on it.

Answer 3

Please do not take this as medical or legal advice, please see a physician in case of an emergency.

You are correct about first things to do is cold water. Never put ice or butter or any of those old wives tales. But eventually if you have access to silvadine, it is the best burn prescription there is, the dr can prescribe it to you...you would put that on it. If you don't wish to stand there with your hand under running water or if you live in a location such as I do in Arizona, water doesn't come out of the fosset cold so you should get a bowl of cool water and put ice inside the water, being careful to not have the burn directly on the ice. After all the cooling is done, if there is plastic or anything that is stuck to it, don't peal that off, allow it to fall off on it's own. By pealing it you will cause more damage and open to infection. If it blisters, do not pop the blister skin is your first line of defense to infection. If it has skin missing, that is too many steps I do not wish to tell you, I would say please see a dr. This is for minor burns only. Keep your burn covered after you are done w your cooling and cleaning and cream. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap when needed, nothing w perfumes or dyes if you can avoid it. Burns can becomes serious. So if at any time you feel something isn't right or it changes color, please see a dr.

Answer 4

for burns, no creams just cold running water, Lesson 4 first
aid level 1. Very simple don't put oils or creams because they heat up and will stil be hot after the 'fire' is out so to speak. They also create a mess for the doctor to clean up.
Go look at a level 1 first aid book.

Answer 5

After most burns. You should *immediatley* put the body part under a cold water tap. Repeat this over and over even if the cold hurts a bit.

You can break a vitamin E table on the site.

For further details, see elsewhere.

At night, for the pain you could take a mild pain-killer to help you to sleep.

Answer 6

I found this site about treating burns:

http://firstaid.about.com/od/injuriesathome/ht/06_burns.htm

This is part of it that makes me feel like you should go see a doctor. Here's what it said:

Burns that completely circle the hands or feet may cause such severe swelling that blood flow is restricted. If swollen or tight hands and feet become numb and tingly, blue, cold, or "fall asleep," then call 911 immediately.

Answer 7

Put it in cold water right away and keep it there until the burning sensation subsides. Don't wrap it in something right away -- that keeps the heat in. A skin burn keeps on burning even after it is removed from the source of the burn. Keep it in cold water, which will not only sooth the pain, it will lessen the burn. Do not put oily creams on it as that also will hold in the heat. If you put cream on it, put on water-based creams, like Eucerine. Only later, when the heat has subsided, do you use Vitamin E -- which comes in a gel form from any drug store.

Take it out of gauze and put it in cold water. Sorry to hear about your accident! Take care.

Answer 8

Cool and Cover. You should use cold running water to get the area cooled, then wrap loosly in gauze. If you feel you've burned down past the 1st layer of skin you'll want to see a Dr.

check out the advice from the Mayo clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-burns/FA00022

Answer 9

After putting hand in cold water, pour baking soda on a paper towel and out your hand in it. It will sting but draw out the heat and pain. Do this , cold water then baking soda until the sting subsides.

A nurse in the burn unit for babies told me they use baking soda on the burns of babies.

Answer 10

if you've already applied burn cream and wrapped it, that's about all you can do - it will probably blister, but you should not pop them - let them open on their own

I burned my hand really badly on the stove once - went to the hospital I was scared so much - all they did was put cream on it and wrap it ... it takes about a week or two to heal