The first step to dealing with burns is to identify the source.

• Thermal burns can often be treated following the instructions below.
• Electrical burns, i.e. from tens units require more attention. Home treatment is possible on minor burns on hands and feet. On larger burns or bruns close to the head or heart special care needs to be taken. If the current was strong enough cause burns it was strong enough to interfere with or damage the nervous system. This interferance or damage often becomes evident several hours after the incident and are the main reason why electrical burns, no matter how small, should not be treated at home.
• Chemical burns should never be treated at home. Rinse the area with lots of running water (do not immerse area into water since that can cause more damage to surrounding tissue). Remove any clothing that came in contact with the cemicals. Do not try to treat the area. Do not cover the area. Seek professional help immediately.

The second step to treating burns is to determine the degree (severity) of the burn. There are three degrees varying in pain, color and swelling:

• First degree are painful and can swell. They are usually red but turn white under pressure. Your skin on and around the burn may peel off after 24 to 48 hours.
• Second degree are painful and swell a lot. The skin is very red and appears splotchy. The surface has blisters and skin comes very quickly.
• Third degree are often pain free and show little to no swelling since the nerves and all layers of skin have been damaged. The skin is either white (lack of circulation) or charred.

After you identified the degree of burn, the treatment has to be decided.

• Small First degree are usually treated at home using common household treatments. Assistence from a doctor is only required if the burn does not heal in 3-7 days. Larger first degree burns (more than consecutive 6 square inches (15cm2) or more than 10 square inches (25cm2) total) should not be treated at home. Also, if infection or a fever develop during treatment, you should contact a health care professional no matter how small the burn is.
• For second degree burns professional help is recommended. Home treatment is possible but the pain during the extended healing time (up to 4 weeks) and the scarring that can occur make this a bad option in most cases. Home treatment also requires materials available in drug stores but not commonly stocked in the average medicine cabinet.
• Third degree can not be treated without professional help. Emergency care is the best option since success of treatment very much depends on how quickly proper measures are taken. Do not try to take off any clothing that surrounds the area and do not cover the area. If possible do not take any pain killers since that can interfere with the medications used in the hospital.

If you decide for home treatment it is very important to keep the burned area dry and free of infection.

• First degree burns should first be soaked in cool water (no ice!). Make sure the skin is perfectly clean. If you were playing with wax make sure that all wax has been removed. Then apply a skin care product containing aloe vera or hydrocortisone that helps restore your skin. If the skin has been broken (i.e. from rope burn) or there are other risks for infection, apply antibiotic ointment to the affected area. Wrap the damaged area in dry gauze. For pain, take any over the counter pain medication.
• Second degree burns take more effort since the upper layers of skin will come off. Soak the burn for 15 minutes in cool water (no ice!) and make sure the area is clean. If cleaning is needed, avoid rubbing as that will cause additional damage to the skin. Apply a generous amount of antibiotic ointment to the burned area and cover with a non-stick material like telfa dressing. After the initial treatment, the dressing needs to be changed daily. Wash the burned area very carefully. Avoid bursting blisters as that can increase your chance of infection. Do not scratch even though healing burns will itch. Once healed, be careful with exposure to sunlight as newly grown skin does not contain sufficient pigmentation and will sun burn easily.