BURNS

A burn is an injury to the skin caused by exposure to thermal (heat), cold, electricity, chemicals, radiation, and friction.

THERMAL BURNS are the most common type of burns today.  It occurs when hot food, scalding liquids, steam, or flames come in contact with you.  These are usually caused by fires, automobile accidents, playing with matches, improperly stored gasoline, space heaters, and electrical malfunctions. 

ELECTRICAL BURNS are caused by contact with electrical sources or lightning.



CHEMICAL BURNS are caused by exposure to industrial chemicals or a mixture of household chemicals.

RADIATION BURNS are caused by sun, tanning booths, or radiation therapy for cancer.

FRICTION BURNS are caused by contact to any hard surface such as roads (road rash).  They are usually both a scrape and a thermal burn.  Friction burns are most commonly seen in athletes, motorcycle riders, and bicycle riders.  Burns are very prone to infection.

There are three levels of burns:

1st degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin.  They cause redness, swelling, pain, and sometimes a slight fever.

2nd degree burns affect both the outer and underlying layer of skin.  They cause pain, redness, swelling, and blistering.

3rd degree burns affect all skin layers.  They cause white or blackened, charred and leathery.  There is usually no pain in the beginning because the nerve endings in the skin have been destroyed, causing the skin to be numb.