How to treat skin burn victims with CPR and first aid

By Cristiano Antonino On Apr 16, 2023

Skin burns are serious injuries that require immediate attention. The type of burn will determine the actions when providing first aid treatment of burns

The greater the area of the body burnt, the greater the disruption to the skin’s ability to properly maintain body temperature.

The deeper the burn wound in the skin and underlying tissue, the greater the risk of infection.

First aid in burn injuries is best performed by people who know what to do for victims.

Why is first aid treatment essential for a burn injury?

First aid treatment options for a burn injury can help minimise the damage and prevent subsequent complications.

Burns require immediate attention, but the wrong treatment can be more problematic than helpful.

Therefore, it is crucial to learn basic first aid for burns that will help minimise the damage and help the victim recover successfully.

What is a minor burn?

A minor or minor burn, such as a first degree burn, damages the outer layer and the underlying layers of the skin due to thermal, chemical, electrical or radiation exposure.

They can cause pain, swelling and blistering.

Minor burns are treated with first aid, such as cool water, non-stick bandages and over-the-counter painkillers.

What is a severe burn?

A severe burn is defined as a burn that covers more than 25 per cent of the total body surface.

Similarly, you should treat any injury greater than 10% with first aid.

Examples of severe burns are second-degree burns and third-degree burns.

Rapid assessment is vital for these types of burns.

Damaged tissue can be surgically removed and replaced by skin grafts or healthy skin.

Medical professionals should be consulted or the emergency medical services team should be called if signs of infection such as pain, oozing, redness and swelling are noted.

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First aid treatment for a burn

Remove any material covering the injury, such as wet clothing. Cut off any clothing that sticks to the wound.
Flood the area with cold water for at least ten minutes. This will stop the burning and relieve the pain.
Cover the burn with a sterile, oil- and grease-free dressing. (Oil and grease must be removed before further medical attention is given, causing additional and unnecessary pain and increasing the possibility of infection).
Protect the burn wound from foreign materials, including germs and rescuer’s fingers, from entering the burn area.
Treat the pain associated with the burn.
Check dressings, jewellery and clothing to make sure they do not become too tight if swelling increases.
Monitor the victim for signs of shock.
Seek additional medical attention or call the Emergency Number for severe burns.
For minor thermal burns, use fresh, moist gauze bandages to treat the injury.
Tape can be used to fix wet gauze over the burned eyes.
Use dry sterile bandages for more severe thermal burns.

First aid treatment for blisters:

Blisters are ‘blisters’ that form under the skin.

They are caused when tissue in burnt areas leaks fluid, known as serum.

Blisters caused by burns should never be broken.

The underlying skin is damaged and susceptible to infection.

The management of blisters does not necessarily require adequate treatment beyond the medical care needed for burns.

In some cases, the blister is located in an area that leaves it at risk of damage.

If a blister breaks or looks likely to break, cover it with a clean, dry, non-adhesive bandage.

Make sure that the bandage or dressing extends beyond the edges of the blister.

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First aid treatment for chemical burns:

Chemical burns require additional steps during emergency medical treatment.

Often, signs of chemical burns will present themselves more slowly than for other types of burns.

Here is how to treat chemical burns:

Remove clothing contaminated by the chemical agent.
Apply a neutralising solution only if recommended by a doctor.
For dry chemical (alkali) burns, brush off all powder from the victim. Then rinse the area with copious amounts of water. Mixing alkaline powders with water creates a corrosive substance.
For other chemical burns, rinse the area with cold water for 15 minutes. Drinking water is preferred.

For chemical burns to the eyes:

Make the victim lie down.
Use your fingertips to hold the eye open and slowly pour water into the inner corner of the eye.
Continue rinsing until the water runs through the entire eye and clears the contaminants.
Cover the eye with moistened gauze and consult a doctor at an ophthalmologist.
Do not use neutralising solutions on the eyes.

First aid treatment for electrical burns:

Electrical burns often combine with more serious medical emergencies due to electric shocks.
Cardiac and respiratory arrests are the most serious. Careful monitoring is necessary to identify and treat these problems.
Another potential effect of electric shocks are bone fractures. Fractures are caused by strong muscle contractions and require immobilisation.
Electrical burn entry-exit points often show signs of damage. Usually, an internal, hidden trail of damage connects the two points. A brown, coppery residue may also be present in a high-voltage shock. Do not confuse this with an additional injury.

It is important to ensure that the victim is disconnected from the source of the shock before the rescuers touch it.

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First aid treatment for radiation burns:

Radiation is undetectable by humans.

Rescuers responding to radiation burns must take great care to ensure that they are not subjected to the radiation source.

If radioactive material is still present, emergency personnel with special protective equipment must treat the patient.

In any case, rescuers should spend as little time as possible in the presence of radiation.

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A burn can be attributed to thermal, chemical, electrical or radiation causes

Severe burns can affect more than the skin layer.

It can cause respiratory failure and the victim may go into shock and die.

Blindness can result from burns to the eyes.

Here are some key points from this post:

A minor burn damages the outer layer and the underlying layers of the skin.
A severe burn is defined as a burn that covers more than 25 per cent of the total body surface (second or third degree burns).
Use a clean cloth or bandage moistened with cool, clean water when treating burns.
Deal with the pain with over-the-counter painkillers if necessary.
Blisters are ‘blisters’ that form under the skin.
Chemical burns require additional steps during emergency medical treatment.
Electrical burns often combine with more serious medical emergencies due to electric shocks.
Burn first aid is best performed by people who know what to do for victims.