If this has happened to you, burns

[Reeltree]

which at sometime you may eventually grab that hot piece of metal, don't fret,, just run warm water over the burn gradually increasing the temp hotter and hotter for as long as you can stand it, this will draw the heat out of the burn,,really it does work as it works also on sunburn, I grabbed a piece yesterday ran it under hot water for a spell ,, today no blisters no sorness

[Charles R. Stevens]

Interesting, I was taught cool water for 45 min. Wet rag and A cold can works 

[Reeltree]

nope cold will impregnate the heat which causes the blisters and soreness,

[Charles R. Stevens]

Seams counterintuitive, adding more heat to thermaly damamged tissue? 

[Charlotte]

First Aid books say cool water.    You want to remove the heat from the tissue asap.   Hot water ?  You got to be kidding.  Blisters will form if it is a second degree burn.

Been at this a long time and been in like 25 or so years of safety lectures and first aid classes required for supervisors.  Don't know where you have been but I've been burned on the job and off.  Cool tap water is the ticket.  If it is a third degree or a deep second degree burn get thee to the emergency room asap.

[Glenn]

You can damage the meat and tissues of a healthy uninjured hand by running HOT water on it. It is called being burned, or scalded. Think for a minute. Ever damage your hand by running cool water over it?  Ever damage your hand by running hot water over it?

I have always understood that you want to remove the heat from the meat to keep the meat from cooking and further causing injury to the hand.

To add to what Charlotte said, If you need to go to the hospital, put the affected area in a bucket of cool water. That is 20 minutes, or more, of cool down time on the way to the doctor.

 

[Frosty]

Some years ago I ran into a similar urban myth at a local coffee shop. The waitresses would wet their burns with Clorox. That didn't work either. I managed to convince a couple to cool burns in cool water soonest and a couple weeks later I couldn't buy a cup of coffee.

Rather than pass along what someone tells you read a book. At least find out if they know what they're talking about. Running hot water on a burn, even warm water could turn a week's worth of discomfort into a serious injury.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[Glenn]

DO NOT put anything on the burn that the doctor has to scrub off once you get to the hospital.

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

The adding heat to a burn is a myth that that I heard as a teen ager.  Then I read some first aid books.  Aloe helps.  Many households keep a plant on the window sill and if someone gets a burn break off a small stem and smear the juice on the burn.  I have aloe ointment in my shop.  Several years ago Clay Spencer advocated using common wheat flour.  I keep a container in the refrigerator in my shop and if I get a burn on my hand I plunge it into the cold flour.  I'm not sure what the flour does but it is cold and that helps.

[Reeltree]

I have gone thru my 57 years of life with what works for me,, when living at the beach getting sun burned and showering in warm water and increasing the temp lil hotter at a time worked for me, minimal peeling,  the same when I burn my self,, now mind you im not talking deep fryer oil to the hospital type, the other day I grabbed a piece of metal that was hot, hot enough to make those instant white marks on the fingers, did the increase hot water trick,, no blisters no soreness,, ya'll may think it to be a myth or not ,but has been working for me for years and years,, I do suggest you use your better judgment and Not use scalding water nor any type of cleaning products,, if you prefer the cooling sensation effect go for it, deal with the sore blisters

[HWooldridge]

53 minutes ago, WayneCoeArtistBlacksmih.co said:

The adding heat to a burn is a myth that that I heard as a teen ager.  Then I read some first aid books.  Aloe helps.  Many households keep a plant on the window sill and if someone gets a burn break off a small stem and smear the juice on the burn.  I have aloe ointment in my shop.  Several years ago Clay Spencer advocated using common wheat flour.  I keep a container in the refrigerator in my shop and if I get a burn on my hand I plunge it into the cold flour.  I'm not sure what the flour does but it is cold and that helps.

Agreed.  Cool water applied quickly - followed by aloe.  About the best home remedy I have ever tried.

I wonder if the military has ever developed anything specific for mild to moderate burns?

[RogueRugger]

Personally, I hit the quench bucket and then the aloe. The swearing interspersed in there seems to help, but that's a family tradition. Our club has gel packs in our first aid kit for burns during demos and when I asked a Fire Jumper (my nephew) about them he said they just use cold water for the minor stuff. 

[ThomasPowers]

I've lived 59 years and cool water works best for me for *thermal* burns---and keeping it on for a long time 20 minutes at a minimum; the longer I've kept it on the less the damage I end up with.

Note that sunburn is not a thermal burn but UV damage  and so has NOTHING to do with how you treat thermal burns.  Just like you don't treat cuts like you treat thermal burns.

[Smoggy]

Third attempt to post.......maybe if I keep it short this time.....

Medical advice is lots of water, preferable cool, clean and flowing. Seek treatment if needed. I tend to take notice of medical advice, although other things may work they may also add additional hazards. I've take the first aid courses throughout my life, had cause to use them on a few occasions, only ever saved one life though....mine!

That worked, now for the addition edit:

My father related the apply heat method to me years ago, he was a war time transatlantic stoker, so engaging in the longest battle of the war he got involved in more than his fair share of high pressure steam, fuel oil and flash burns! It does work but not for anything remotely serious and over doing it will cause further harm.........hence it is not a method I ever relate to anyone.

The flour, another old wives tail! Granted, the flour you are using is cold and the temperature will have a beneficial effect, but so does water. I have first hand experience of flour being applied to burns, which blistered, burst, and the flour entered the would......never did heal properly even after the skin grafts!

Relaying ad hock treatments is not a good idea, not only can these alternatives case more pain and longer recovery times but in extreme cases loss of life or limb. Not to mention adding complications the medical staff to deal with. I refer all to my opening paragraph.....take a first aid course and follow it!

 

[arkie]

Realtree, since you are apparently not a medical professional (correct me if I am wrong), I feel your advice, which is contrary to common medical treatments, may inadvertently cause further damage to a burn injury.  Jus' my 2c opinion.

 

[Reeltree]

First off I was not talking life threatening or loose of limb situations

Secondly I would hope most would know when the need for professional help is required

Thirdly slam it all you wish for I need not respond anymore

 

 

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

Rogue, I suggest that you not use the slack tub.  Especially if the burn is bad enough to cause an open burn.  No telling what contaminants are in that water. 

[Glenn]

The Red Cross suggests to cool the burn using large amounts of cool to cold running water until the pain subsides or for fifteen minutes. If the burn is severe seek professional help.

DO NOT use ice or ice water.

-------------

Most suggestions have been in regard to first degree burns.

 

• First Degree Burns: This is the lightest burn around. Symptoms include reddened skin, slight pain, and swelling. It is often considered a minor burn unless it involves a large part of the buttocks, groin, feet, face, hands, or a joint. Immediately request emergency attention in that case. 

• Second Degree Burns: These are slightly more serious, and involve burns reaching the second layer of skin. Blisters can develop, the skin can look splotchy and extremely red, and it hurts a lot. Extensive swelling is also present. If it is three inches big or around the size of a thumb, it can be considered a minor burn. Otherwise or if it affects the buttocks, groin, feet, face, hands, or a major joint, it will require advanced medical aid.

• Third Degree Burns: These are the most serious kinds of burns. These occur when all the layers of skin are damaged. Permanent damage can occur, and it can reach muscle, fat, and bone. Immediate medical attention is always required.

 

Reference here

Reeltree, please site references to back up your opinions. We want to learn from the sources.

[SpankySmith]

I used to teach first aid, and COOL water is what is taught, never hot - why would you add insult to injury on a burn?    I'm with the others here, I've lived over 50 years of burning myself and cool water is always the ticket.  I actually did it just this weekend, pulled a pan from the oven and stupidly reached for it with my other, unprotected hand to stabilize it (!!) - immediately ran it under cool water for a good 5 minutes, next day I had a smoothed off part on my skin but otherwise no trauma. 

Totally on an aside, I've heard an old wives tale that slack tubs have healing powers - something about all the iron in there being good for wounds.  Purely wives tale stuff. 

[fergy]

Went looking and found this 

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/11/study-says-treat-burn-with-warm-water-not-cold.html

not getting into the argument was only looking for  heat transfer rates for water and found this article 

Glad I'm not a rat though

[yesteryearforge]

1 hour ago, fergy said:

Went looking and found this 

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/11/study-says-treat-burn-with-warm-water-not-cold.html

not getting into the argument was only looking for  heat transfer rates for water and found this article 

Glad I'm not a rat though

:)

[Charles R. Stevens]

Nope, as TP requested you provided documentation. We all learned somthing. Cool as wee all were taught then luke warm (body temp) for the long soak. That acualy makes sense. 

Realtree may be on to somthing, good on you!

[Frosty]

Thanks Fergy. A little documentation brings the idea out of the folk lore category and into the worth trying.

Cold water has never been suggested as good, cool water has. However it does reduce circulation . . . Worth thinking about.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Kozzy]

Speaking of folklore, there is still an old one floating around about putting butter or similar on a burn.  My Grandfather's sister pulled a boiling wash-kettle off the stand back in the "good 'ol days" and burned herself pretty badly over a large part of her body.  They slathered her in lard and kept it up.  She basically suffocated [as in died] not from the burns but because your skin has to breathe (skin is not just the largest organ but the largest excretory organ).  

Grandma's recipe for first aid is NOT always a good idea.  Mine insisted I put raw bacon on the spot I stepped on a nail to "draw out the poison".

I must come from some pretty hillbilly stock--thinking about the story above reminded me that my other grandfather accidentally chopped off some of HIS sister's fingers with an axe.  So in addition to not larding a  burn, I suggest you never hold wood for your brother to chop either.

[Charles R. Stevens]

Yea, EMS caries a "burn sheet" a coton hospital sheet that has been autoclaved and packaged, its used to cover a burn or hyper thermic victom, then you soke them down, steril salin for burns, patable wayer for heat stroke. 

 

Their are some water based antibiotic salves, but only the vetranary ones come to mind, and thise can be used in situations were the Doc may need to suture or debride the wound, as the wash out. But the best deal is to irigate with plenty of steril saline, this washes out dirt and debrie, manny of the infectius agents wile not doing any more dammage to the tissue. 

Take this fore what its worth, I was an EMT for years, and I still clean up and package wounds on horses.