This second degree electrical burn is unique. In order to be burned by electricity, the victim has to be touching a source of electricity and complete the electrical circuit by being grounded or touching another source of electricity. In other words, you have to have at least two points of contact.
Most electrical burns are actually thermal (heat) burns from arcs -- the blinding white sparks that jump across wires. Arcs generate heat at thousands of degrees Fahrenheit and burn instantly.
This electrical burn has a blister, which makes it a second degree burn. Blisters indicate the burn is deep enough to penetrate all the way through the top layer of skin down into the second layer. When that happens, the two layers separate, making a blister.
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Any opinions expressed here are for educational purposes only and are not intended for diagnosis.
