Burns happen to millions of Americans every year. Are you ready to treat burns?
Burn Classifications
There are four classifications of burns: thermal, chemical, radiation and electrical. Chemical and electrical burns are self-explanatory. Thermal burns come from heat, which includes scalding hot liquids. Radiation burns come from radioactive metals as well as the sun. Sometimes, abrasions are called friction burns.
Burn Degrees
There are only three degrees of burns, and all three refer to how deep the burn goes through the skin. Burns can go all the way down to the muscle and even bone, but skin is all we care about for the purposes of treatment.
Critical Burns
Some burns are so critical they need to go directly to the hospital, even though some critical burns don't look that bad.
Burn Pictures
(c) Tim Ballantine
These pictures help illustrate the different burn degrees. Besides sunburns and thermal burns, there are also friction burns (road rash).
Burn Treatment
The first step to treating a burn is to stop the burning process. Chemicals need to be cleaned off. Electricity needs to be turned off. Heat needs to be cooled down. Sunburn victims need to be covered up or go inside.
