6 Best Ways To Treat a Burn

Updated on February 7th, 2020
how to treat a burn

Burns are the most common household injury. Accidental burns may be common, but the amount of pain they can cause with skin charring is immense. However, if you accidentally get burned then try the natural remedies to treat a burn. The treatments can be employed readily at home. These soothe your skin and aid in quick healing.

What is a Burn?

The exposure of skin to excessive heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, and sunlight destroys the skin tissues, and the condition is known as burn. Burns result in charring of the skin and may also cause inflammation, blisters, and scars. In extreme cases burn can even cause the death of the person.

Types

  • Thermal Burns: Caused by high temperature, hot objects, scalding liquids, flames, etc. Steam burn is one such type.
  • Friction Burns: Hard object tearing off the upper layer, for example, bike accidents.
  • Radiation Burns: Sunburn and burn caused by X- rays, etc.
  • Chemical Burns: Burns caused by strong acids and other chemicals.
  • Cold Burns: Freezing temperatures and frost bits damaging your skin cells.
  • Electrical burns: Flow of excessive current through the body.

The Different Burn Stages

First Degree Burn

First Degree burns are superficial burns that have not caused much damage. These heal quickly.

Second Degree Burn

Second-degree burns are more severe as they extend beyond the upper layer. They take around three to four weeks to heal. Also, do not pop the blisters as it may worsen your burn wound. The infected burn will create a lot more trouble and take time to heal.

Third Degree Burns

Third Degree burns are too severe and cause extensive damage to the skin and nerves reaching to deeper layers.

What to do When you Burn your Hand: First Aid for Burn

  • Cool the burned area
  • Remove jewelry
  • Do not pop the blisters
  • Apply Ointment
  • Use a lotion to soothe the burn
  • Bandage the hand
  • Take a pain reliever

How to Treat a Burn Naturally?

Mild burns can be treated easily at home; you need not go to a doctor.  If you have suffered from a minor injury caused due to burning, then you can manage it at home. The immediate action should be using the first aid for a burn. After the first aid, employ the home treatments that quicken the healing process.

The home remedies for burns mentioned here aid in the healing of the burn and reduce the pain. These also prevent scarring that may result after the injury. Try the below-listed cures to treat a burn and get relieved from its symptoms easily.

CURE 1: Foods

Burns cause damage to your skin cells. To heal a burn wound, you must add foods to your diet that boost the production of new cells, thus aiding in quick healing.

 Honey

heal a burn with honey

Honey is one of the most effective home remedies for burns. Application of honey can provide significant relief from the pain caused due to burning injuries and speeds-up skin healing. Know how to treat a burn efficiently with honey.

How to use?

  • Take out a teaspoon of honey
  • Soak a cotton ball in it
  • Gently massage honey using the cotton ball on the affected area
  • Do it for some time and then wash off

Benefits of Honey

Honey has strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which make it an excellent remedy for burns. Application of honey alleviates the pain and prevents the build-up of bacteria in the region. Thus, due to its potent properties honey is used as a powerful household remedy for burns.

Foods to eat

  • Include whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables rich in Vitamin A and C to your diet. These supply your body with an adequate amount of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates provide your body the energy to heal. Include green leafy vegetables, potatoes, cereals, citrus fruits, etc. in your diet.
  • Add protein-rich foods to your meal as they would help in skin repair. Eat more of nuts, seeds, animal proteins, etc.
  • Incorporate low-fat dairy products in your diet. Soy Milk is an excellent low-fat dairy product.
  • Drink water at regular intervals to stay hydrated.

Foods to avoid

After a burn, your body needs more nutrients to make up for the loss. Hence, your diet should include more healthy foods and less of the foods that are low in nutrition. You must avoid:

  • Desserts and sugary beverages
  • Fatty meats
  • Whitebread
  • Whole-fat dairy products

CURE 2: Herbal Treatments

Aloe Vera

The list of benefits of aloe vera is quite long. The wondrous plant has some great remedies to treat the various health conditions. From nourishing your hair and skin to healing multiple infections, the benefits of aloe vera are many. It is also an effective remedy for a burned face.

Burns irritate the skin; thus, aloe vera with its soothing properties is the ultimate choice for those looking for how to soothe their skin burn.

How to use?

  • Cut a leaf from the aloe vera plant
  • Extract the fresh gel from the aloe vera leaf by cutting the leaf from the mid
  • Gently apply the gel to the burned area
  • Repeat the process as and when you want relief from the burning sensation

Benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera has potent anti-inflammatory properties that aid in the quick healing of the skin. It soothes the skin and promotes blood circulation. Further, its anti-bacterial properties prevent the build-up of bacteria in the region.

Precautions:

It is better to use pure aloe vera gel which freshly gets extracted from the plant, rather than the commercially available gels. The gels bought from stores may contain a low concentration of aloe vera and will not give quick results.

[Read: Uses of Aloe Vera for Burns ]

CURE 3: Essential Oils

Lavender Oil

Essential oils are from plant extracts. These are known to be effective in curing various skin condition, but their potent nature makes them not quite suitable for burns. However, some essential oils like lavender oil are mild; thus these do not cause too much stinging. You can make use of its beneficial properties to heal your burned hand.

How to use?

  • Mix a few drops of lavender oil in a carrier oil like coconut oil
  • Take a cotton ball and soak it in the blend
  • Apply the mixture on the burned area using a cotton ball
  • Do this regularly to subside the pain and prevent scarring.

Benefits of Lavender Oil

Lavender oil has fantastic anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that help in easing the pain caused due to the burn. It treats the bur injuries effectively and prevents the development of scar in the region.

Precautions

Lavender essential oil is mild hence can be used directly too. You may feel a sting initially on the application, but you need not worry about it much. However, if the pain is too severe, then you must avoid using lavender oil.

[Read: Lavender Oil for Burns ]

CURE 4: Home Remedies

Apple Cider Vinegar

treat a burn with apple cider vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is a fantastic ingredient found in every kitchen. It has many properties that make it one of the best remedies for burns. Using apple cider vinegar is the best way to treat first degree burns. It also addresses oil burn effectively.

How to use?

  • Take a teaspoon of vinegar
  • Dip a cotton ball in it
  • Apply the vinegar using the cotton ball on the burned area
  • Regular application of the vinegar will speed-up the healing of the burned skin

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has strong healing properties that heal the skin burn fast. It decreases the inflammation and itching caused due to the burn. The magical apple cider vinegar remedy pulls the heat from the wound thus easing the pain. Further, the astringent properties of the vinegar prevent the growth of bacteria and protect the burn injury from getting infected.

Precautions

Always check the expiry date of the bottle of apple cider vinegar before applying it. If you feel an intense burning sensation on using the vinegar directly, then dilute it by adding water.

CURE 5: Natural Treatments

How Cool water and Compress

Cold and fresh water is the first thing that comes to your mind after you get a burn. It is the first aid that must follow for every minor burn injury to prevent the formation of blisters and soothe the skin. You are always advised to dip your burned finger in cold water to ease out the burning sensation and no doubt; it works excellent for easing the pain and burning sensation.

A cold compress can be used to treat minor thermal burns. You can even heal Hydrogen peroxide burn by using the cold compress method.

How to use?

  • Pour cold water on the burned area. If you can place the burned area directly under running water, then keep it for fifteen to twenty minutes.
  • After that, take a soft, clean towel
  • Soak it in cold water
  • Squeeze out the excess water and place it on the affected area
  • Gently press the cloth on the burned area. Do not hold it for long instead move the towel on the region while gently dabbing
  • Use cold compress for around ten to fifteen minutes

Benefits of using a cold compress

A cold compress helps in pulling out the heat from the area and reduces the inflammation and swelling that accompany the burn. It effectively eases the pain caused due to burning.

Precautions

Never use ice-cold water as it may restrict the blood flow to the skin, inhibiting healing and further damaging the burned area. Treat minor thermal burns with a cold compress.

CURE 6: Supplements

Add Vitamin C and Vitamin E supplements

Burns cause damage to your skin cells. There are certain nutrients like Vitamin C and E that can aid in the quick healing of your burn injury and damaged skin. Thus, if you want to repair the damage caused by the burns quickly and are looking for how to treat a burn fast, then add the supplements of Vitamin C and Vitamin E in your diet.

How to use?

  • Take 2 g of Vitamin C every day for about a week
  • Along with it, pop 1000 IU of Vitamin E (1) or you can squeeze out Vitamin E oil from the capsule and apply it directly on the burn.

Benefits

Vitamin C is known to boost the production of collagen which plays a vital role in the creation of new skin cells. On the other hand, Vitamin E is a source of antioxidants that help in skin repair. Including them in your daily regime will significantly quicken the healing of the burn.

Precautions

You must limit the dosage of supplements. Do not take more than the dose mentioned above. It may harm your body.

Bottom Line

Burns not only have a physical but a psychological effect too. The scars caused due to burns are unsightly and can demotivate a person. But if you use the remedies to treat a burn which mentioned above, then you can avoid the ugly skin scarring. These remedies also quicken the healing of the burned skin and ease the pain and inflammation that accompany the burns.

Most people often do not treat the burn injuries after the first aid. When left untreated, burn wounds take longer to heal and also leave behind marks. Try the home remedies for burns and get your clear skin back easily.

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