Understanding Burns and Their Immediate Treatment

Burns are scary and painful accidents. Unfortunately, nearly half a million people suffer burns annually in the US alone. According to urgent care doctors of New York, regardless of how common the occurrence of this medical emergency may be, the severity remains monumental. Accidental burns generally occur when bare skin is exposed to direct heat, chemicals, electricity, or radiation long or strong enough to cause significant damage. Common burn injuries happen in the kitchen, an outdoor barbeque, or a live bonfire grilling escapade. While the cooking-related accidents can be termed under negligence and bear only minor injuries, other occupational hazards involving industry chemicals or building fires could be much more severe. Hence, it’s crucial to under the various degrees of burns that can be treated at an urgent care clinic in NYC and others that need a trip to the ER.

First-Degree Burns

Also called superficial burns, this is a minor injury that can be self-treated. Common causes of first-degree burns include sunburn, scalding from a hot shower, or brief contact with a hot object. These burns show themselves on the top layer of the skin, i.e., epidermis, with redness, pain at most. Once the skin cools down, the top layer starts to shed, revealing a fresh, scar-free surface from underneath. If a superficial burn is on an area of about three inches or more, visit a medical clinic in Midtown Manhattan to get it checked once to eliminate the chances of infection.

Second-Degree Burns

These burns are referred to as partial thickness burns since the damage permeates through the top layer and affects the dermis, the second layer of the skin. The signs that indicate a burn is more than just superficial is when the redness and pain seem worse along with visible blistering of the burnt skin. Before the skin has started to deteriorate, it must be cooled down either with a normal or slightly cold water wash. Once the first aid has been given, and the patient is stable, get it checked at a reputable clinic in Manhattan promptly to get proper treatment and medication to prevent scarring and infection.

Third-Degree Burns

Full-thickness burns, as they are called, are the most severe degree of burns that have reached the subcutis (the innermost layer of skin) and could also have affected the nerves, muscle, and bone. Third-degree burns need to be taken immediately to a hospital where they can be treated by specialists. Hence, no matter how small the area affected might be, cover it with a clean, cool, moist cloth and call 911 without delay.

Some first and second-degree burns can be treated with over-the-counter medicines, but any injury that doesn’t start to heal within a few days is a potential site for infection. So, visit the Walk-In Clinic of NYC for a complete exam by our healthcare professionals. We have walk-in urgent care clinics in New Jersey and NYC.