Burned Yourself On A Hot Pan? Follow These Do’s And Don’ts
Cooking has its hazards, and one of those hazards is burning yourself. At one time or another, it is bound to happen, and when it does, it is important that you know how to treat the burn. Adhere to these do's and don'ts to promote healing and avoid making the injury any worse.
Do: Immediately put the burned area in cold water.
As soon as you notice you have burned yourself, get the injured area into some cold water! This will remove the heat from the area and keep the burn from getting any worse. Turn the water on a gentle stream; you don't want to pummel the area with a powerful spray,
Don't: Put butter on it.
Putting butter on a burn is an old folk remedy that is actually not a remedy at all. In fact, it may make matters worse. The butter warms up and can burn the skin even more. It can even be irritating. Leave the butter in the butter dish; the same goes for olive oil or any other greasy substance you may have heard will help burns.
Do: Seek medical care if it blisters.
After you've run your burned skin under some cool water, take a look at the area. If it is just red, you have a first-degree burn and you're okay to treat it at home. If you have a blister, though, your burn is a second-degree burn and you should seek medical care. Heading to an urgent care center is usually your best option. They are equipped to treat small burn injuries like this and have a shorter wait time than the emergency room.
Don't: Leave the burn exposed initially.
Burned skin is prone to infection when the burn is new and fresh. As such, it is a good idea to cover the wound, at least for a few days. Apply some aloe before you do so; this will soothe the burning sensation. After three days or so, you can uncover the wound and let it dry out.
Do: Take pain relievers if needed.
If the wound is a bit painful in spite of having applied aloe, you can take a dose of ibuprofen. It is especially good at stopping throbbing sensations in burned skin.
Stick to the do's and don'ts above, and contact a doctor if you have any questions about treating a minor kitchen burn. It happens now and then, but almost everyone recovers with no lasting consequences. For more information, reach out to a professional who provides burn treatments.
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