Burns treatment - may be triggering
 

I burnt myself with a [something hot] a couple of days ago at first accidentally but I then stupidly tried holding them against my skin for a bit longer. I didn't really think I'd have done much damage but at first the areas on my arm (about three areas - two about a cm long and half a cm wide and the largest about two cms wide and across) came out bright white, so I ran my arm under cold water for a while and then left it.

The next day the middle of the areas were reddy brown with blisters round the edge, which they still are. A bit of numb in the middle at first but now I think the feeling is back. I've left them unplastered but now I am terrified about infection and scarring. I can't believe how stupid I was, it genuinely didn't hurt that much and I really didn't think that it would be so severe.

Please can anyone give me some advice?

Thanks

LittleNemo

Try checking out the wound care and burns care articles on this board. I'm not really sure what wound care is right for burns, even though I tend to burn myself. Usually I go to A&E so maybe you could visit a minor injuries unit if you don't feel able to care for it yourself.

You're right that infection is a good thing to avoid because that can make scarring worse. Once these wounds heal (if you keep them clean) you might find that they are quite pink but that's usually just new skin rather than proper scar tissue. New skin needs to be protected from the sunlight.

They sound like partial thickness burns, if that helps any. xxx

http://www.recoveryourlife.com/index.php?categoryid=93 Wound Care Guide

http://www.recoveryourlife.com/index.php?categoryid=91 Burns Article.

keep the area clean and put a good layer of vaseline or petroleum jelly over it then cover with a non stick pad like melolin with a thin layer of antiseptic cream on it and a conforming bandage to protect and keep slight pressure on it. The pain of a burn is aggrevated by air on it, and covering it will provide far more pain relief than may be expected; it could for example mean the diffence between a night of sleep or a very unpleasant night.
check the dressing every 2 days and change as needed. avoid breaking the skin or blisters as this will increase the chance of infection.
if it is not getting any better within 3 days, go and see your doctor.

take care

If the area in the middle is still numb it needs to get checked out ASAP (especially if that portion is bigger than 2 fingers in width) as it could be that that portion of it is a full thickness (AKA 3rd degree burn).

You need to keep a dressing on as the articles mentioned earlier states due to the risk of infection and the dressing itself will reduce pain/ scarring and will speed up healing.

thanks so much for your replies, I've got a dressing on it, I have a feeling the very middle is full thickness - feel pretty silly as I didn't intend to do very much damage but I will go and see the uni drs tomorrow :) xx