Within 120 seconds after a burn, it is best to thoroughly clean your hands. Clean the area around the burn wound with mild and odorless soap and warm water. This helps eliminate external pollutants caused by heat sources and reduces the risk of infection. Clean cotton balls or gauze should be used for effective cleaning.
Keep moist: After a burn, the skin may be relatively dry, and keeping the wound moist can promote wound healing. Apply moisturizing lotion or vitamin E to the burn wound, and then wrap it with a moist dressing covering the wound. This can keep the wound moist, alleviate pain and discomfort.
Avoid creating pressure: Some tight clothing, blankets, or close fitting dressings may apply excessive pressure to the wound, causing abrasions or damage to the burn wound. Therefore, when protecting burn wounds, it is necessary to use loose sterile dressings and ensure that they can completely cover the burn wound to avoid bacterial infection.
Avoid exposure to sunlight: Burned skin is usually sensitive and susceptible to damage from sunlight. Even if the wound condition is good, the skin needs to be adequately protected to prevent further skin problems caused by continuous exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid direct exposure to the sun or to protect the skin with measures such as parasols and sun hats.
Do not break blisters
When the skin is burned, blisters may form. This is a normal natural reaction and a way for the body to protect the injured area. Water blisters usually contain tissue fluid that can protect and promote wound healing. Therefore, after burns, we should avoid actively damaging or forcibly removing blisters. Here are the reasons not to break the blister:
Protect the wound: The blister plays a role in protecting the wound, forming a natural barrier to prevent external bacteria and infections from entering the wound. Destroying blisters may lead to bacterial infections and increase the risk of healing time and complications.
Accelerated healing: The tissue fluid inside the blister provides a warm and moist environment that helps with wound healing. This liquid contains growth factors and other beneficial substances that can promote the growth and repair of new skin cells. If the blister is damaged, it may cause the wound to dry out and delay the healing process.
Relieve pain: Bubbles can alleviate pain and discomfort. Destroying blisters directly exposes the wound, increases the risk of pain, and makes the wound more susceptible to irritation and infection.
Although not actively destroying water bubbles is a good practice, in some cases, water bubbles may rupture on their own. If the blister ruptures, the following steps can be taken:
Clean the wound: Gently clean the ruptured blister and surrounding skin with mild soap free and warm water.
Prevent infection: Gently cover the ruptured blister with disinfectant gauze to prevent bacterial infection. The gauze should be kept dry and clean.
Avoid friction: Avoid friction or irritation of ruptured blisters to prevent further damage to the skin.