Do you need to bandage after a burn?

Written by Wang Xiang Li
Emergency Medicine
Updated on December 04, 2024
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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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How many days will it take for a burn on the finger to heal?

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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How to deal with burns that have broken the skin?

After a burn that breaks the skin, you can first assess the size of the burned area. For small burns, promptly rinse with cold water for about 20 minutes, or apply a cold compress to the affected area. Then, disinfect and clean the burn site with povidone-iodine, keeping the wound exposed to promote healing. If the burn is extensive, affecting the superficial dermis and reaching shallow second-degree or higher burns, after addressing the site, sterile dressings and treatments such as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory are necessary. Therefore, after the initial simple treatment, it’s crucial to seek professional medical treatment at a hospital promptly.

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Can you drink alcohol after being scalded by oil?

After being scalded by oil, one should not drink alcohol, as alcohol can accelerate local blood circulation at the burn site, thereby worsening local congestion, swelling, and pain, and also prolonging the healing time of the wound. Therefore, after being scalded by oil, it is not advisable to consume beer, spirits, fruit wines, or yellow wine. Patients also need to be mindful of their diet and avoid consuming spicy foods such as raw onions, raw garlic, chili peppers, and leeks, which, like alcohol, can cause an increase in local congestion, swelling, and pain.

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How to relieve pain after a burn or scald

Cold therapy is the best way to alleviate pain after a burn. Firstly, you should use running tap water or cold water to soak the affected area for more than half an hour. This can prevent heat from continuing to affect the wound and can dull the peripheral nerves in the area, reducing pain, exudation, and swelling. Secondly, you can apply some dilute saltwater to the wound to relieve pain and reduce inflammation, and then apply burn ointment to the burned area. In severe cases, oral pain relievers such as ibuprofen can be taken, and if necessary, pain medication can be administered via muscle injection. If the burned area is large, it is necessary to go to the hospital for formal treatment in a timely manner.

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What should I do if my finger gets burned and starts oozing pus?

Finger burns have developed a pus discharge, indicating a severe infection at the burn site. Once an infection occurs, in addition to disinfection, oral antibiotics should be administered for anti-infection treatment. Disinfection may need to be carried out once or twice daily. The disinfection process involves washing with saline solution, then further sterilization and disinfection with hydrogen peroxide. After rinsing with saline, re-disinfect with iodophor, and then cover with gauze and dressing. Gentamicin can be applied on top of the gauze to promote healing and improvement of the infection. If oral medications are ineffective, intravenous antibiotic infusion may be necessary for anti-infection treatment. (Medication use should be supervised by a professional doctor.)