Medically informed educational guidance based on established clinical sources.
Key Takeaways
- Minor (superficial) burns can usually be treated with first aid at home.
- Prompt cooling with cool (not cold) running water helps limit damage and relieve pain.
- Ice, butter, oils, toothpaste, and other home remedies should not be used.
- Blisters should not be popped.
- Large, deep, chemical, electrical, or breathing-related burns require urgent medical care.
Skip to a Section
- First Aid for Burns
- Burn Types and Severity
- Caring for Minor Burns at Home
- What to Avoid
- Signs of Infection
- When to See a Doctor
- Burn Prevention
- FAQs
- Popular Questions
Introduction
Burns are injuries caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, or friction. The severity of a burn depends primarily on how deep it goes and how much skin it affects. Many minor burns can be treated safely at home with first aid, while deeper or larger burns require urgent medical care.
First Aid for Burns
Step 1: Stop the Burning Process
- Move away from the heat source.
- For electrical burns, make sure the power source is off before approaching.
- For chemical burns, remove contaminated clothing if it is not stuck to the skin and begin flushing the area with running water.
- Do not put yourself at risk while helping.
Step 2: Cool the Burn
- Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water.
- Cooling is recommended for about 10–20 minutes, depending on guidance.
- Do not use ice or iced water, which can worsen tissue injury.
Step 3: Remove Tight Items
- Gently remove rings, watches, belts, or tight clothing before swelling begins.
- Do not remove clothing stuck to the skin.
Step 4: Protect the Area
- Loosely cover the burn with a clean bandage, gauze, or cloth.
- Covering helps protect blistered skin and can reduce pain.
Step 5: Control Pain
- Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help if appropriate for the individual.
Burn Types and Severity
Superficial Burns (similar to first-degree)
- Affect only the outer layer of skin.
- Considered minor and usually self-treatable.
- Typically heal within days to a couple of weeks.
Partial-Thickness Burns (similar to second-degree)
- Damage deeper skin layers.
- Can blister and are usually painful.
- Healing may take up to about three weeks.
- Medical care is recommended if they are large or involve sensitive areas.
Full-Thickness Burns (similar to third-degree)
- Extend through all layers of the skin.
- Skin may appear white, brown, black, or charred.
- May be numb because nerve endings are damaged.
- Always require professional medical care.
Caring for Minor Burns at Home
These steps apply only to burns considered minor:
- After cooling, a simple moisturizer or petroleum jelly may be used.
- Keep the area covered with a clean bandage.
- Do not pop blisters. If a blister breaks on its own, gently clean with water and follow medical guidance.
- Limit sun exposure on healing skin; covering the area is recommended.
What to Avoid
Medical sources consistently advise not to:
- Use ice or iced water.
- Apply butter, oils, toothpaste, bleach, or other home remedies.
- Break burn blisters.
- Remove clothing stuck to the burn.
These actions can worsen injury or increase infection risk.
Signs of Infection
Seek medical care if a burn shows signs such as:
- Increasing redness or swelling
- Pus or drainage
- Fever
- Worsening pain or foul odor
When to See a Doctor or Go to the Emergency Room
Get urgent medical care for:
- Chemical or electrical burns
- Deep or full-thickness burns
- Burns that are large (for example, larger than the person’s hand)
- Burns involving the face, hands, feet, genitals, or major joints
- Burns with trouble breathing or signs of shock
- Burns in infants or older adults
- Any situation where you are unsure about the severity
Burn Prevention Basics
Evidence-based prevention measures include:
- Keeping hot liquids out of reach of children.
- Cooking safely and turning pot handles inward.
- Setting household water heaters to about 120°F (49°C).
- Using caution with electrical devices and cords.
- Unplugging heated devices when not in use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first for a minor burn?
Cool the area under cool (not cold) running water for about 10–20 minutes, then loosely cover it with a clean bandage.
Can minor burns be treated at home?
Yes. Superficial burns are usually self-treatable with proper first aid.
Should I pop a burn blister?
No. Blisters help protect against infection, and breaking them increases infection risk.
Does ice help burns?
No. High-quality medical sources advise not using ice on burns.
How long does a burn take to heal?
Superficial burns often heal within days.
Partial-thickness burns may take up to three weeks.
Full-thickness burns take longer and require medical care
What can I put on a burn?
There is high-quality evidence for cooling with running water and covering with a clean bandage. Simple moisturizers or petroleum jelly are used for minor burns.
Claims about foods or home remedies lack consistent high-quality evidence.
How do I relieve burn pain quickly?
Cooling with running water and appropriate over-the-counter pain relievers are supported. Other methods lack high-quality evidence.
How long does a friction burn take to heal?
Healing time depends on burn depth. Superficial burns heal within days, while deeper burns take longer. More specific timelines are not supported by high-quality evidence.
Do home remedies like honey, toothpaste, or oils help burns?
There is no high-quality evidence supporting this.
APA References List
American Red Cross. (n.d.). 7 ways to prepare for a home fire. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/home-fire-preparedness.html
American Red Cross. (n.d.). What to do if a fire starts. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/if-a-fire-starts.html
Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Burns: Symptoms, degrees, how to treat & healing. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12063-burns
Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). First-degree burn: Treatment & prevention. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/first-degree-burn
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Burns and wounds. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/burns
Mayo Clinic Staff. (n.d.). Burns: First aid. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-burns/basics/art-20056649
MedlinePlus. (2024, September 4). Minor burns—aftercare. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000662.htm
National Health Service. (2022, June 23). Burns and scalds—Treatment. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/burns-and-scalds/treatment/
Stanford Health Care. (n.d.). Burn stages. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/skin-hair-and-nails/burns/stages.html
Warby, R., & Maani, C. V. (2023). Burn classification. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539773/