Whether or not you should use dressings on burns has been a controversial topic for a very long time and it is a difficult one to answer.
Depending on the type of burn that you have, there are a few steps you should follow to dress your wound.
If you’re unsure about when to use burn dressings, we’re here to help! We’ve compiled an ultimate guide to using burn dressings on wounds. Let’s dive in!
How To Dress Your Burns?
Before you start to dress your burns, you will want to determine whether the burn is minor or severe. After you have done this, you should clean and cover the wound to ensure that it will not get infected.
There are a few steps involved in dressing your burns. These are:
1. Assessing The Burn Area
The first step to dressing your burn is to assess the burn area to see what it will require. To do this follow the steps below:
Remove Burnt Clothing And Jewelry
The first step is to remove any burnt clothing so that it doesn’t cover the burn area. Ensure that you don’t pull any clothing off the burn. If it is stuck, leave it where it is.
You should also remove any rings, bracelets, or earrings that are close to the burn area.
Place The Burn Under Cool Running Water
Next, you should place the burn under running water for around 10 – 20 minutes to cool the skin. The water mustn’t be hot or ice cold, as you don’t want to cause further damage to the skin.
You should try not to touch the burn as you want to avoid causing any damage to the area.
Confirm The Burn Is Not Severe
Before you start to dress the wound, you should confirm that the burn is not severe. If a burn is 3 inches in size, or smaller, then it is likely that you will be able to treat it at home.
If the burn is slightly swollen or slightly red, it is likely a mild burn.
However, if the burn is blistering, large, or leathery, you may need to get the burn treated by a doctor.
If the burn is severe, wash and cover the burn temporarily and get yourself to a doctor!
2. Cleaning And Covering The Burn
Once you have figured out how to assess the severity of the burn, you will then need to move on to cleaning and covering the burn.
Wash Your Hands
The first stage is to wash your hands with antibacterial soap. To wash your hands, use cool water and wash your hands using soap. Before you touch the burn, you need to ensure that your hands are perfectly clean.
Clean The Burn With Soap And Cold Water
The next step is to wash the burn using soap and cool water. To do this, place the burn under running water, and apply some mild soap to the area.
After you have done this, rinse the burn to remove any dirt and bacteria so that it doesn’t get infected.
Don’t Touch The Burn!
You must avoid touching the burn or any blisters that form on the burn. If you pick these blisters, it can cause the blisters to get infected.
You should leave the blisters alone to ensure that this doesn’t happen, and so that your doctor can assess them later on.
Dress The Burn
The next step is to dress the burn. You can do this using clear plastic wrap. Use cling film that is used to cover food, as this is protective and it will not stick to your burn.
Remove the first couple of inches of cling wrap on the roll, and then tear off small strips of the wrap to cover the burn. You can use medical tape to keep this in place.
You mustn’t wind the plastic wrap around the burn. This can restrict the burn, reducing circulation in the area. If the burn starts to swell, this can cause a large number of problems.
Use A Sterile Cotton Sheet
If you don’t have a cling wrap you can use a sterile cotton sheet instead. This needs to be non-adhesive as you don’t want it to stick to your burn.
To apply the cotton sheet, you should place this over the burn and ensure that you secure this with tape.
Ensure that you don’t apply the medical tape too tightly as you don’t want to restrict any movement.
You should avoid using any bandages that easily shed fibers. They can stick to the burn and cause damage.
Avoid Applying Ointment To The Burn
You should avoid applying any ointment to the burn as this has the potential to cause more damage to the skin.
These creams can also come in the way of you assessing the burn and checking whether it is infected. You should attempt to keep the burn dry for as long as possible.
3. Caring For The Burn
Caring for the burn is very important as you need to make sure that the burn has not become infected. To do this, follow the steps below:
Check The Burn
After around 24 hours, you should check the burn. Remove any dressing that you have applied and check the burn. It should be less swollen than before.
This will have improved due to the protective dressing, and your body’s natural healing process.
You will need to go and see your doctor if the burn has a foul smell, any blisters have formed, or the burn seems swollen. Make sure you get medical attention if anything looks troubling!
Change Your Dressing Every 48 Hours
You should remove your dressing from your burn every 48 hours and rinse off the burn using running water. You should then reapply the dressing following the steps above.
Apply a small amount of antibacterial ointment to the burn whenever you change the dressing. You should apply this using clean fingers.
If the burn has changed in any way, you will want to see a doctor for treatment.
If the dressing becomes dirty or wet, you should change it as soon as possible. It is very important that the dressing is clean at all times.
Take Painkillers
You should also take over-the-counter painkillers to manage any pain that you experience from your burn. Ibuprofen should relieve the pain.
If you are taking over-the-counter medication, you should make sure to follow the instructions and advice on the box.
Burns Usually Heal In 10-14 Days
The wound will likely heal within 10-14 days. Most minor burns will scab over in this time. If you expose the burn to the air when it scabs over then it will heal much more quickly.
If your burn doesn’t heal within 1-2 weeks, you will need to go and see your doctor to check that nothing is wrong.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! This article should have provided you with all the information you need on applying burn dressings.
After reading this, you should have all the information you need on when to use burn dressings and how to apply them.
