Burns

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Burn, scalding?

Burns can be minor or can be a life threatening emergency.
Pharmacist

Let's determine the nature of the burn before you see what is available over the counter to use as self care.


Mother with a child with burn

The type of burn discussed here is the type you will go to the pharmacy to get something for.
We are talking about something like scalding due to hot objects or water.

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Burn

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Need ER visit?

Was this burn caused by a chemical?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • The effect of the chemical is still going on.
  • Do not attempt self care.

Nearest ER

 

Was it caused by electricity?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Do not attempt self care
  • Need further evaluation

Nearest ER

 

Did your child inhale smoke with this burn?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Do not do selfcare.

Nearest ER

 

Looking at the burn, is it forming blisters?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Will get infected
  • Will get very painful.

Nearest ER

 

Is the burn area about or larger than the size of the child's palm?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Too much surface area involved
  • Need to avoid scarring.

Nearest ER

 

Does the burn look whitish to you?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Third degree burn.

Nearest ER

 

Does it look blackened or charred?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Third degree burn

Nearest ER

 

Does it look deep into the tissues?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Sign of a third degree burn

Nearest ER

 

Ask the child:
Does the burn area feel numb to your touch?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Possible third degree burn

Nearest ER

 

Would you say you are not sure how serious it is.

But it looks pretty bad?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Don't have child tough it out.

Nearest ER

 

Does the child have other symptoms with this burn?

Such as cuts, bleeding, headache, broken anything?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Need further evaluation even if symptoms are minor.

Nearest ER

 


Those were to rule out taking the child to the emergency room.
Pharmacist

Now, let's see if it is something you can take care of at the local pharmacy.

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Burns

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Do self care?

Meanwhile, run cool tap water on the burn area as soon as possible.
Pharmacist

You need to do this for 20 to 30 minutes.

Do not apply ice or iced water to the burn. This may cause the blood vessels in the area to constrict and lead to the death of tissues surrounding the burn area or frostbite.

 

Is the burn area larger than 3 inches in diameter?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Looking at second degree burn or partial thickness burn.

Nearest ER

 

Is the affected area(s) bleeding?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • You can't stop the bleeding.

Nearest ER

 

Would you say the burn area is swollen or swelling?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Possible second degree burn.

Nearest ER

 

Is the area patchy white-to-red?

and very painful?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Looking at second degree burn or partial thickness burn.

Nearest ER

 

Is the affected area on your child's face?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Possible scarring no matter how small.

Nearest ER

 

Is the affected area on your child's groin?
Pharmacist

 

Yes?

Seek urgent care

 

Is it on the child's feet?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • There is a high chance it would get infected
  • Hard to treat due to movement and friction on the area.

Nearest Clinic

 

Is a major joint involved in this burn?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Joint movement would make it difficult to heal.

Nearest Clinic

 

Is your child diabetic or immune compromised?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Hard to treat with self care.

Nearest ER

 

Was this burn about 2 days ago and painful?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Possible infection.

Nearest Clinic

 

Was this burn a few days ago and the area is red or swollen?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Looking at signs of infection.

Nearest Clinic

 

Was this burn a few days ago and the area is draining or forming pus?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Looking at infection.

Nearest Clinic

 

Is the child running a temperature with this burn?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Possibly fighting an infection.

Nearest Clinic

 

Finally, are you seeing red streaks spreading from the burn?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Signs of infection.

Nearest Clinic

 


Those questions were to rule out second degree burns.
Pharmacist

Second degree burns need urgent care or emergency room visit.

You may be looking at first degree burn if none of the questions so far applied to your child.

But let's be sure it is what you are looking at before you get a pharmacist's over the counter self-care recommendation.

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Know this

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First degree burn?

If it just happened, is the area red and swollen a bit?
Pharmacist

 

Yes?

 

 

Once again, any blisters on the affected area?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.
Pharmacist

Here is why:


Nearest Clinic

 

Is the area dry and painful.
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Remember, if you are not sure how serious it is, go to the nearest urgent care clinic or emergency room.

Nearest Clinic

 

Can you dress it up or do you have someone to help you do it?
Pharmacist

 

Seek urgent care or emergency room.
Pharmacist

Here is why:

  • Only urgent care or emergency room will dress the wound for you.

Nearest Clinic

 

Alright, let's get a self care recommendation.
Pharmacist

Remember, if you are not sure how serious it is, take the child to the nearest urgent care clinic or emergency room.

The effect of the burn is still ongoing and it will get worse until the skin finish reacting to the burn.

Would you like to see what a pharmacist recommend over-the-counter to take care of this burn or go to the nearest children's urgent care clinic to you?

Urgent Care Pharmacist