Whenever you get a burn and feel a scathing pain, it is a signal that your skin needs to heal and kickstart the healing process. Here are some emergency things you need to do to protect your skin in case of an unfortunate kitchen accident:
If you suffer from a burn, here is what you need to do at once:
Cold water to the rescue
First things first, you need to run your hand or the affected part under cold water. This will essentially nullify the burn. Our first instinct is to let the burned area to cool down and not let anything come in contact with the affected area but on the contrary, cooling it will only damage the burn. Instead, run it under cold water or a pack of ice.
Remove any piece of clothing or fabric that is sticking to the burned area. It will also make you assess the intensity of the burn and see what needs to be done next.
Identify the burn
Next, identify the degree of the burn.
While burns need to be treated under expert supervision, what you really can do at home is identify how bad the burn is by looking at the symptoms.
If the burn feels like a prickly spot which itches and is red in colour but doesn’t blister, it is probably a first-degree burn.
However, if the burn starts to peel or reveal the flesh underneath, it is something to worry about.
What to apply next?
While first degree burns can be easily tamed by taking an OTC medicine for pain relief and applying ice packs, severe burns require consultation. The burns usually turn severe when you drop a bowl of hot water or in a worst case scenario, a lot of oil on yourself. Applying natural aloe vera can also help treat the burn.
For second degree and third degree burns, cleaning the wound is important. So it is best if you attend to it without delay.
