How many days will it take for a burn on the finger to heal?

Written by Chen Xiao Jun
Emergency Department
Updated on September 03, 2024
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The relief from a finger burn can take days, depending on the severity of the burn and the extent of damage to the skin, soft tissues, and muscles. For mild burns, only the epidermal layer is damaged, and in general, such cases will gradually heal within about a week. On the other hand, if the burn affects the skin, soft tissues, and muscles, recovery can take a very long time, especially if complications such as infections occur, which will extend the treatment period. After burning a finger, do not blindly treat it at home; instead, seek analysis and a subsequent treatment plan from a professional doctor.

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Written by Chen Xiao Jun
Emergency Department
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What should I do about the dead skin from a burn on my finger?

Generally, after a finger is scalded, damage occurs to the skin's soft tissues, and some of the skin may necrotize. Once necrosis sets in, the blood supply to the affected area becomes poor. At this point, it is necessary for the body to promptly remove this dead skin. It is best to have debridement under the guidance of a physician to remove the necrotic skin and soft tissue; otherwise, these necrotic tissues can easily become infected, which in turn can cause harm to the body. Therefore, after necrosis occurs following a finger scald, it is advisable to immediately visit the emergency department of a hospital for debridement. Removing the necrotic tissue and performing proper dressing and disinfection will promote the rapid recovery and healing of the skin tissues.

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Written by Wang Xiang Li
Emergency Medicine
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Do you need to bandage after a burn?

Whether bandaging is needed depends on the severity of the burn. Generally, if it's just simple redness, no bandaging is needed. After the local skin is scalded, if blisters form, it is considered a superficial second-degree burn. You can first rinse with cold water or soak in cold water for more than half an hour, or apply ice to reduce the pain. Before bandaging, clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide, then disinfect the wound surface with iodine, release the water inside the blister while keeping the blister skin, then apply burn ointment on the gauze, cover the wound surface, and then use multiple layers of dry gauze for bandaging. Generally, change the dressing every three days, and recovery can occur within two weeks, leaving no scars later. Patients should maintain a light diet, eat fresh vegetables and fruits, avoid spicy and stimulating food, and abstain from alcohol.

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Written by Wang Xiang Li
Emergency Medicine
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What should I do if it itches after a burn?

Itchy after scalding may be a mild itching sensation that appears during the wound healing process. This situation does not require deliberate treatment. With timely medication and dressing changes, the itchy feeling can gradually subside as the skin at the wound site heals. However, if redness and mild suppuration occur at the wound site, this indicates an allergic infection. In such cases, it is recommended to clean and disinfect with iodophor, followed by the external application of antibacterial medication and dressing, which can help treat the infection and promote healing at the site. If necessary, oral cephalosporin medications can be taken for combined treatment, which is more conducive to promoting healing. Additionally, during the recovery period, it is important to keep the wound dry and sanitary, avoid contact with water, and not consume spicy and irritating foods, to avoid affecting the healing of the wound.

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Written by Li Xiao Lin
Emergency Department
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How long will it take for a burn on the finger to heal?

How long it takes for a finger burn to improve depends on the severity of the burn, and one cannot generalize. If the burn affects only the epidermal layer, recovery or complete healing generally takes about a week. This is because skin metabolism, which takes about 5 to 7 days to renew, especially at burned areas such as on the face or fingers, can take longer to heal. Moreover, if the burn is deeper, reaching below the dermal layer, the recovery time depends on how deep the burn is. It might take 2 weeks or even up to a month for complete recovery. Therefore, the duration needed for a burn to heal depends on the severity of the burn.

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Written by Wang Xiang Li
Emergency Medicine
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How to treat burns from hot oil

After being scalded by hot oil, the first step is to remove yourself from the scalding environment and immediately rinse or soak the affected area with cold water for at least 20-30 minutes to reduce temperature and pain. Afterwards, disinfect with iodophor. Scald ointments, such as safflower oil, can be applied to the affected area. For blisters formed after a scald, use a sterile needle to puncture and drain the blister fluid, then apply medication and wrap it with sterile gauze. If the scald covers a large area or is a third-degree burn, it is generally not manageable on your own and requires prompt medical attention to avoid delaying treatment. (Please follow medical advice when using medication.)