June is National Burns Awareness Month – an initiative meant to increase awareness amongst Australians of both burns prevention and burns treatment. Shockingly though, according to the Fiona Wood Foundation, 200,000 people in Australia suffer burns annually [1]. In NSW alone between 2016-2017 there were over 2,000 cases of burn injury hospitalisations [2].
Given that some level of burn is something that the vast majority of us either have experienced or will experience, learning how to administer first aid to burns is vital.
Applying the correct treatment to burns as soon as they occur is essential in their quick and effective healing, but many people are underprepared in terms of what we have lying around in the medicine cabinet at home.
Pharmacist and Managing Director of Pharmacy 4 Less, Feras Karem, shares his top tips for burns treatment at home, and what you can make sure you’re stocked up on to ensure you’re prepared.
Put the burnt area under cool (not cold) running water for at least 20 minutes
Don’t apply ice, even though it might feel tempting, as it can lower your body temperature and cause further pain and damage. For the same reason, don’t put children or babies in cold baths – just isolate the area that needs treatment. If you don’t have running water, simply submerging the area in cool water also works.
Just make sure you don’t skimp on the 20 minutes, as this first step is one of the most effective in lessening the lifetime of your burn.
It’s also important not to break any blisters, as this can cause infection, or to apply ointments, as they can lock in heat.
Make sure the burn site is clean
Remove any clothing near the burn, as long as it’s not stuck to the burn, and remove any jewellery near the burn if it’s easy to do. If there’s anything stuck in the burn, it’s best to seek the help of a medical professional to remove it, rather than doing it yourself.
At this point, apply a hydrogel – the Mundicare Burnaid Burn Gel is perfect, and also comes in spray form if the area is too sore to touch. Keeping re-applying in half-hour intervals if you can.
Cover the burn site
You’ll want to protect the area with sterile, non-adhesive bandage. It’s always best to make sure your first aid kits are stocked with a variety of these, as they’re useful in all kinds of situations, not just burns! Pharmacy 4 Less stocks them in a range of sizes.
If you’re in pain
Many of us know the dull ache a sunburn can bring! All burns can be painful, and painkillers are a useful and safe medication to take. Ibuprofen as well as paracetamol, or a combination of both are a good choice. For a particularly fast-acting pill, try Nurofen Zavance Tablets: the active ingredient is still ibuprofen, but they’re absorbed up to twice as fast as regular Nurofen. Before trying these medications, seek your pharmacists advice for the most suitable option for yourself.
Aftercare
Once you’ve dealt with the immediate aftermath of a burn, it’s simply a waiting game as your body repairs the damaged skin. However, there’s still a lot that you can do to help.
An antiseptic cream, applied topically, is useful to ensure infection is kept well away. Betadine Antiseptic Cream is a great choice as it kills bacteria and is non-irritating to the burn.
All of us have probably used Aloe Vera in treating burns before so if you’ve got access to an Aloe plant, simply use the gel straight from one of the stems. If not, the Thursday Plantation Aloe Vera Gel will do just as good a job at cooling and soothing (it’s 97.4% fresh Aloe Vera!).
Remember that there are many types of burns, and these tips are suitable only for first-degree at-home burns or scalds. More serious burns require professional medical attention. You should go to a hospital emergency department for: all chemical and electrical burns; large or deep burns; burns that cause white or charred skin; burns that cause blisters; burns that are infected; or if you’re at all concerned about your burn.
References
[1] https://www.fionawoodfoundation.com/our-challenge/current-statistics/
[2] http://www.healthstats.nsw.gov.au/Indicator/inj_burnhos/inj_burnhos_aria_trend