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BURN CARE
If you understand burn injuries, you will understand how important the BURNFREE product line is in the first aid treatment of burn injuries. Burn problems are complicated, and the basic facts relating to burn injuries are important to understanding the use of the BURNFREE product line. Burn injuries are classified according to the extent and depth of the injury. An accurate estimate of the extent of the burn wound is important in determining the need for hospitalization and the first aid and definitive treatment required for the victim. Depth of the Burn Injury The depth of the burn injury is commonly classified in one of two ways: 1. First-, Second-, or Third Degree 2. Partial Thickness or Full Thickness First- and second-degree burns are partial thickness in depth and will heal spontaneously. Third-degree, or full thickness injuries, except for very small injuries, require skin grafting. First-degree Burn: First-degree burns, limited to the epidermis, are moist and red in color and are very painful. There are usually no blisters with a first-degree burn and they often heal within seven days. Sunburn is a typical first-degree burn. Second-degree/Partial Thickness Burn: Second-degree/partial thickness burns penetrate more deeply and involve destruction of all the epidermal layers and extend into the dermis. These burns are also subclassified as either superficial or deep. Superficial involves only the outermost part of the dermis and is characterized by extreme pain and hypersensitivity to touch. The skin appears moist and mottled pink or red and blanches on pressure. There are usually blisters present. Superficial second-degree and superficial partial thickness burns usually heal spontaneously. Deep second-degree and deep partial thickness burns involve tissue destruction to the deeper layers of the dermis. Such burns appear like the superficial type, but are usually dry and whitish in appearance. The skin does not blanch and these burns are usually painful. Healing takes up to three to four weeks and may leave hypertrophic, or thick, scars. Third-degree/Full Thickness Burn: Third-degree/full thickness burns involve destruction of all the epidermal and dermal layers and extend down to the subcutaneous tissue. With a third-degree/full-thickness burn, the skin is charred and leathery and often depressed from the surrounding tissue. Third-degree/full thickness burns usually are not painful because the nerve endings have been destroyed. These burns require skin grafting. Types of Burns Thermal Burns A simple definition of a thermal burn is an injury caused by exposure to heat sufficient to cause damage to the skin, and possibly deeper tissue. Most thermal burns are caused in one of the following ways: Flame - Flame burns are often deep burns, especially when caused by a person's clothing being ignited. Flame burns usually cause deep partial to full thickness burns. Hot Liquids - Scalds are produced from hot liquids. These injuries are usually not as deep as those caused by flame but can produce deep burns. Hot water or hot coffee usually produce deep partial thickness injuries. Grease or hot soup may produce deep partial, and occasionally, full thickness injuries. Hot Objects - Contact burns are caused by touching a hot object such as the burner of a stove, a skillet or grill. Contact burns vary in depth since a person's reflexes cause them to react quickly and protect them from prolonged exposure to the hot object. However, prolonged contact can cause a full thickness injury. Flash Injuries - Explosions such as those from automobiles, gas tanks, and airplanes produce flash burn injuries. These injuries vary in depth according to the proximity of the flash and the intensity. Flash injuries involve exposed parts of the skin such as face and hands. Sunburn - Sunburn are usually superficial burns but can be extremely painful. By early cooling, the pain is relieved as the wound is soothed and the progress of the injury is stopped. Chemical Burns Chemical burns are a reaction which occurs when the skin comes in contact with strong acids, alkalis, or other corrosive materials. Chemical burns occur as a result of the conversion of chemical energy to thermal energy. The burn injury usually progresses as long as the chemical remains in contact with the skin. Electrical Burns Electrical injuries occur when an electric current travels from the contact site into the body, arcing from one body point to the other. As the current goes into the body, it is converted to heat. The heat, which causes extensive damage, most commonly follows the current flow, which is usually along blood vessels and nerves, but also may damage other structure, such as muscle and bone. Electrical current can cause the following three types of burns: Contact Burn Injuries - This is a true electrical injury in which the current is most intense at the sites of entrance and exit and along the tissue it damages. At the entrance and exit sites, a bull's-eye lesion may be present with a charred zone in the center; a middle zone of gray dry tissue; and an outer red zone. The entrance and exit sites may not appear serious, but these wounds indicate there may be serious damage along the path of the current. Electrical currents may cause damage to other organs such as the heart and lens of the eye. Flash Burn (Electrical) - This type of burn is an electrothermal injury and is caused by the arcing of the current. Flame Burn - A thermal injury, this type of burn occurs when electricity ignites a person's clothing or surrounding material. |
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ACH International Inc., 925 East Spiers Lane, Draper, Utah 84020 United States of America Tel: 801-949-6476 Fax: 801-365-8869 |
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