Based on the severity and depth of burns, they are categorized into various degrees. The appropriate treatment for burn injury usually depends on the site, cause, and severity of the injuries. This article discusses various burn degrees along with their respective medical needs.
What Is Meant by Burn Injury?
Burn injury is damage to the skin or other tissues primarily caused by heat, electrical injuries, friction, contact with chemicals, or radiation. Serious burn injuries require immediate medical attention. The best hospitals for plastic surgery offer all kinds of plastic, aesthetic, and reconstructive procedures to make sure all patients receive holistic care.
What Are the Different Degrees of Burn?
Burns are grouped into different degrees depending on the surface area, size, and depth of the skin damage.
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First-Degree Burns:
These are minor burns that affect only the outer epidermis layer of the skin. Minor burn treatment usually involves home remedies like immersing the wound in running tap water or administration of over-the-counter medications to relieve pain and swelling.
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Second-Degree Burns:
This type of burn injury is more serious and affects the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin. These burns are extremely painful and often form blisters or splotchy skin. All burns above second degree are considered urgent care medical conditions and often require care within 24 hours.
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Third-Degree Burns:
These are serious types of burn injuries. The burn reaches all the layers of the skin and underneath subcutaneous fat tissues. In mild cases, this can change skin texture to dry or leathery and in critical cases, it may also lead to permanent tissue damage. All third-degree burning conditions may require medical attention right away.
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Fourth-Degree Burns:
This type of burn injury is the most severe of all burn degrees. The burn extends to the fat layer as well as bones, muscles, and tendons. Fourth-degree burns are potentially life-threading, often result in amputation, and do not heal without surgical treatment. Plastic surgery hospital in Coimbatore provides the best care to improve the life quality of burn survivors.
When Should I Consult a Burn Specialist?
It is always recommended to consult a burn specialist to avoid any further complications and infections even for a minor burn injury. If you`re experiencing or suspect suffering from any of the following conditions and signs, you should seek a doctor immediately.
- The burned area is larger than 3 inches or deep tissue injuries
- Difficulty in breathing or toxic smoke inhalation
- Any special burn caused by electricity and Chemical spills.
- Severe pain
- Burns on the face, genitalia, and other sensitive parts of the body
- Any pre-existing conditions that could hinder the recovery from burn injuries
- Burn injuries that require special social, emotional, and psychological interventions
- Third-degree and fourth-degree burns of any kind possess a great risk of morbidity or mortality to need immediate hospitalization.
What Are the Complications of Burn Injury?
In general, the complications of a burn injury depend on the cause, site of the burn, deep of the injury, and various other underlying health factors. Some of the common complications of burns include,
- Overgrowth of scar tissues
- Risk of infection at open burn wound
- Hypovolemia- decreased blood plasma level due to loss of body fluids
- Heat exhaustion and heatstroke
- Physiological complications
- Severe burns may cause progressive multiple organ dysfunction symptoms (MODS) and organ failure
