How to Heal a First Degree Burn
Burns are probably the most painful household injury. Healing them quickly and safely is key. Here are some tips.
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Instructions
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Immediately run cool (not cold) water over the burn for a few minutes, and then switch to putting an ice pack on it. This helps the skin cool down and stops the burning process. Start with cool water to ease the skin into the temperature change. Beginning with very cold water or ice can cause blistering that might not otherwise occur.
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Apply a healing cream to the burn. Good burn healers include aloe or shea butter. If the burn blisters, be sure not to puncture any of the blisters. They will heal naturally and won't scar if left alone. Eventually the skin will peel away on its own, do not force a blister to peel.
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To help with the pain, you can take an OTC pain killer such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Don't take aspirin for a burn.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not apply butter or oil to a burn, as this smothers the burn and may actually keep the burning process going.
Do not apply petroleum jelly to a burn, because it actually dries the skin out and a burn needs to stay moist.
Keep the burn out of direct sunlight until it is healed.
If your burn is more serious, seek medical attention.
