burns
types, treatments, medical advancements
Types of Burns
-Cold Temperature Burns: These burns are caused when your skin is exposed to wet, windy, or cold weather.
-Electrical Burns: These burns are caused when you make contact with an electrical source, like lightning.
-Chemical Burns: This type of burns occur by making contact with any type of chemicals (household/industrial).
-Radiation Burns: These are burns caused by an object radiating light like the sun, tanning booths, sunlamps, X-rays, and even radiation therapy.
-Friction Burns: These burns are caused by rough contact with a hard surface like roads, and carpets. These are normally a combination of a scrape and a heat burn.
Classifications of Burns
-A first degree burn is the most minor burn that effects only the outer skin layer.
-A second degree burns effect all the way down to the second skin layer which may involve severe blisters and scarring.
-A third degree skin layer that reaches the fat under the skin. This could cause numbness and destroyed nerves.
-Fourth degree burns are the most severe that reaches to the muscles and bones farther than the skin. The skin may be charred and you may feel nothing at all because of nerve damage.
treatments
-Cool the burn by holding it under cool water. DO NOT ice the burn.
-While keeping it clean, cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage.
-Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, but take care when giving to teenagers or children.
First aid for major burns:
-Immediately call 911 or emergency help.
-While they are getting there, don't remove any burned clothing, but definitely remove the victim away from the cause of the burn.
-Don't put the burn in cold water because it might cause hypothermia.
-If you don't see signs of circulation, perform CPR.
-Raise the burned body part(s) to an area above the heart.
-Cover the burn with a clean, cool, and moist bandage, cloth, or towel.
medical advancements
Medical advances main points.
New and improved skin and burn ointments that work better and heal the burned areas quicker.
New occlusive dressings are less bulky and contain better antibacterial medicines for the skin.
The surgeries are much quicker and easier due to faster pace and preoperation plans.
victims of burns
There are many more victims out there with amazing stories like Erins, who continue to live life to fullest.