Advice for Treating and Preventing Burn Injuries
Learn important information that could help save you from a serious injury.
Remember: Seek immediate treatment if you have a serious fire, electrical, chemical, or radiation burn.
Tips for Preventing Burn Injuries
- Check home smoke alarms to ensure they work properly.
- Teach children about fire safety.
- Have a fire escape plan for your home and pay attention to emergency exits when traveling.
- Explain the dangers of playing with matches and flammable materials to your children.
- Never allow young children to play with fireworks.
- Read and follow all warnings and instructions on gas fired ovens and outdoor barbecue grills.
- Never touch downed power lines after a storm.
First Aid for Burns
Be careful when applying first aid to treat a serious burn to avoid causing further damage.
When a burn occurs, it is natural to attempt to treat the victim immediately. However, some first aid decisions can actually harm the victim and complicate the burn injury. On this page, you’ll learn:
- When to call 911
- First aid tips for serious burns
- Treatment of minor burns
- When to go to a burn center
Skin and Wound Healing Takes Time
Patience and careful treatment are necessary to heal burns and other skin wounds.
Serious burns and other skin wounds take time – and careful management – to heal correctly. In general, burns that go deep into the tissue or cover a large area of the skin require the most attention and professional care. On this page, we’ll show you:
- The stages of healing
- How to treat complications
- How to treat scars
Facts About Burns
The burn degree isn’t the only factor that determines if it is serious.
A burn is any injury to tissues of the body caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation. About two million people suffer from burns in the United States each year. On this page, you’ll learn about:
- The different types of burns
- When to seek treatment
Support Groups
Tips for Preventing Burn Injuries
- Check home smoke alarms to ensure they work properly.
- Teach children about fire safety.
- Have a fire escape plan for your home and pay attention to emergency exits when traveling.
- Explain the dangers of playing with matches and flammable materials to your children.
- Never allow young children to play with fireworks.
- Read and follow all warnings and instructions on gas fired ovens and outdoor barbecue grills.
- Never touch downed power lines after a storm.
First Aid for Burns
Be careful when applying first aid to treat a serious burn to avoid causing further damage.
When a burn occurs, it is natural to attempt to treat the victim immediately. However, some first aid decisions can actually harm the victim and complicate the burn injury. On this page, you’ll learn:
- When to call 911
- First aid tips for serious burns
- Treatment of minor burns
- When to go to a burn center
Skin and Wound Healing Takes Time
Patience and careful treatment are necessary to heal burns and other skin wounds.
Serious burns and other skin wounds take time – and careful management – to heal correctly. In general, burns that go deep into the tissue or cover a large area of the skin require the most attention and professional care. On this page, we’ll show you:
- The stages of healing
- How to treat complications
- How to treat scars
Facts About Burns
The burn degree isn’t the only factor that determines if it is serious.
A burn is any injury to tissues of the body caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation. About two million people suffer from burns in the United States each year. On this page, you’ll learn about:
- The different types of burns
- When to seek treatment