The 2nd degree burn hurts a lot and a blister appears on the spot, which should not be burst to prevent the entry of microorganisms that can cause infection.
The treatment should always be indicated by the doctor and it is not recommended to pop the blister at home on purpose or apply home remedies without a professional evaluation beforehand.
In case of suspicion of a second degree burn with more than 1 hand in size, the victim should be taken to the emergency room or called an ambulance by calling 192 in Brazil.
How to recognize 2nd degree burn
The characteristics of a 2nd degree burn are:
- Compromise of the epidermis and partially of the dermis; There is pain, redness, swelling, blisters or ulcers; Slower healing 2-4 weeks; May leave a lighter stain, in superficial burns, or scar, in deep ones.
The most common burns occur indoors, when in contact with boiling water or oil, touching a hot surface such as a stove, direct contact with a fire or when handling alcohol near a fire.
First aid for burn
First aid in case of a second degree burn includes:
- Remove contact with the heat source immediately. If the victim's clothes are on fire, roll over on the floor until the fire ceases, the neck should never run or cover the victim with blankets in this situation. If the clothing is stuck to the skin, one should not try to remove it at home, as this can worsen the skin lesions, and therefore it should always be removed by the professional who will attend, doctors, nurses or firefighters. Cool the skin. The burned area should be washed with cold tap water, for example, for 10-20 minutes. In smaller areas you can place the region under the tap, but in larger areas, it is better to go to the shower with running water. It is not recommended to put ice water from the refrigerator or ice in the place, as it can aggravate the skin lesion. Cover with clean, wet tissue in cold water. After cooling the burnt area, you can cover the area with gauze or a clean cloth soaked in cold water and go to the emergency room or wait for the ambulance, when the burnt area is large.
Applying an ointment for burns based on Silver Sulfadiazine can be useful in very small areas to prevent infections, but the ideal is always to be seen by a doctor before using any medication. Find out more examples of burn ointments that can be used.
Watch the following video and check out these and other tips to treat the burn:
Treatment of 2nd degree burn
In minor burns, which happen when touching the iron, or the hot pot, for example, the treatment can be done at home. But in major burns, when part of the face, head, neck, or areas such as arms or legs are affected, treatment should always be indicated by the doctor because it involves an assessment of the victim's entire state of health.
In small 2nd degree burns, you can make a dressing using healing ointment and then cover with gauze and bandage with a bandage, for example.
For major burns, it is advised that the victim stay in the hospital for a few days or weeks until the tissues are well healed and the person can be discharged. Usually with extensive 2nd and 3rd degree burns, hospitalization is prolonged, requiring the use of medications, rehydration serum, adapted diet and physical therapy until complete recovery.
