Burns

10 treatments for minor accidents.

Douse the flame

Stop the burning process first. If it is a contact burn, run the injured part under cold water. If it is hot grease or splattered hot material like battery acid or soup, remove the clothing that is saturated first, wash the grease off your skin then soak the burn in cold water. If the clothing sticks to the burn, rinse over the clothing, then go to the doctor. Do not attempt to pull the clothing off yourself.

Leave the butter for your bread

Food on burns can hold the heat in your tissue and make the burn worse. It also might cause an infection. No vinegar, potato scrapings or honey too.

Check your burn

You can self treat first and second degree burns smaller than a quarter on a child or smaller than a silver dollar on an adult. See doctor for larger burns or for burns on infants under 1 year or people over 60.

Cover it

Gently wrap the burn in a clean, dry cloth such as a thick gauze pad.

Do nothing

For the first 24 hours, leave the burn alone.

Help it heal

Starting 24 hours after you burn yourself, wash your injury gently with soap and water once a day. Keep it covered, dry and clean between washings.

Soothe with aloe

Two or three days after you burn, break off a fresh piece of aloe and use the plant's natural healing moisture or squeeze on an over the counter aloe cream. Do not use aloe if you are using blood thinners or have a medical history of heart problems.

Soothing solutions

When it starts to heal, break open a capsule of vitamin E and rub the liquid onto your irritated skin. If feels good and may prevent scarring.

Dab on an antimicrobial cream

An over the counter antibiotic ointment containing the active ingredients polymyxin B sulfate of bacitracin will discourage infection and speed your healing.

Leave blisters intact

Those bubbles of skin are nature's own best bandage, so leave them alone. If it pops, clean the area with soap and water then smooth on a little antibiotic ointment and cover.