Though we take a lot of precautions and no matter how careful we are, accidents are nevertheless bound to happen. The cause for this is sometimes carelessness, multi-tasking, half-hearted work or sometimes it can even be attributed to bad luck.
Accidents while cooking food are quite common and can sometimes be very dangerous.
Ranging from a small blister to a major burn, there are many types of accidents that occur when you are working in the kitchen.
Avoiding them by taking care to be more cautious is the best measure, but sometimes we just cannot avoid them as accidents are generally caused without knowledge. Burns can be really painful. If you are wondering “How to treat a burn from a hot pan,” at home, then read on.
How to Treat Burn from Hot Pan or Boiling Water?
Hot water burns(1) can be extremely painful and cause a lot of agonies. Here are some home remedies that you can use for hot water burns first aid.
1. With Foods
A healthy and well-balanced diet is the key to a quick recovery post burn injury.
- Add Vitamin C, zinc and copper n your daily diet to hasten the recovery procedure.
- Vitamin E and selenium are also crucial as they act as antioxidants which in turn alleviate stress post-injury.
- Vitamin D and zinc put up a fight against infections.
- Eat lean meats, low-fat dairy, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
What to avoid? - Avoid foods which have low nutritional value such as fatty meals, desserts, candy, white bread, whole fat dairy, and sugary beverages.
2. With Herbal Treatment
Aloe- Vera cream
Once you’re down using cool water on your wound, wipe it with a warm towel and then proceed to apply Aloe-Vera cream which can be extremely beneficial on your skin as it will give your skin a cool layer of shelter to help heal from the wound. Repeat this daily for a week if the wound isn’t too major.
Turmeric paste
Although Ayurvedic, this method works perfectly as an anti-septic to oil burns on face and oil burns on hands alike. Purchase or make turmeric powder and then go onto mix this with water or oil, preferably water and then apply it on the wounds and let it soak in for about 20 minutes, going on to wash it off with water to get best results.
3. With Essential oils
Clary sage
This highly potent essential oil is used far and wide for its medicinal properties. Not only it has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties which mitigate the pain caused due to burning but also antibacterial properties that help clean the burn area clean.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
The antiseptic and antimicrobial properties of this oil come in handy to heal a burn wound and thereby prevent infections.
How to use?
These oils can be used topically but in a diluted form using carrier oils.
Precautions
Care ought to be taken so as to use them in recommended dosage and prescribed manner. One should undergo a patch test beforehand.
4. With Home Remedies
Cucumber Mask
Get someone to put pieces of cucumber in a mixer to create a skin mask. Go onto to apply this mask to your burn ably and ensure all the rough areas are covered in the process. Leave it on for a period of 15-20 minutes and then go onto wash it off with cool water, it’s better to get a coarse mixture and not a liquid one, to ensure better results.
Banana Peels
Don’t throw your Banana peels away, gather around 4-5 of them depending on the size of the oil burn on hand and then place them on your burn. Make sure to do this after you’ve used an anti-septic cream beforehand, for best results.
Other Remedies
1. Wet a soft towel and wrap it around your wound
This always helps in case of minor oil burns on the skin. Wet the towel properly and then proceed to circle it around the wound and grab tight, to squeeze out all that dirt and make sure your skin gets a clean, dry-washed experience.
2. Use a cooling bag
Like thermoplastic bags, there are cool bags as well. Fill Iced water and then proceed to keep this cool bag on your burn for a substantial amount of time, per se, around 15 mins for good results.
3. Use Vodka (In case of emergency) or Vinegar as an antiseptic
Pour small amounts of Vodka or Vinegar onto your burn and wait for it to do the magic, it might burn in the initial moments, but its effects are long-lasting on your skin and will do you a world of good in no time. Proceed by applying a soft, thin-textured moisturizer for best results.
Precautions
- Always make sure to visit a healthcare expert or a skin expert in case of big wounds but do use home remedies before going there and make sure they are minimal remedies that will only get rid of immediate pain and consequences such as a persistent rash of a bigger wound.
- Before using home remedies, check on the adequacy and results of that method and preferably use your common sense to know what works and what doesn’t. Ex: For burns, cucumbers can be used as they are cooling agents by nature.
- Use the right amount of Aloe-Vera paste or cream, using too much will have no greater effect. Use the right amount to avail the right and sufficient kind of healing to your wound.
- After you’re done washing the wound or running it under cool water, always proceed to wrap it with a thin towel or preferably a bandage or a wrapping to avoid further damage to your extremely valuable skin.
- Burns such as these, when they happen could cause shock so it’s always better to wrap the person with a towel or a tight coat and make them lie down or sit comfortably to avoid further excruciating painful circumstances.
Conclusion
Burns can never be avoided but do make sure to use the above methods, at least to an extent but always prefer to visit your medical expert in case of such emergencies to avoid further damage on your skin. You can always use your head to know what’s right and what’s wrong in case of burns, do the right thing before it gets too late. Mainly, avoid any physical damage to whatever extent possible by taking quick action.
