A burn's severity is decided in the first minutes: proper cooling stops the deep tissues from "cooking" and reduces pain and scarring. Simplicity saves here.

In short — what to do

  1. Move the person safely away from the burn source.
  2. Cool running tap water over the burn for a full 20 minutes — not ice, not iced water. It helps even up to 3 hours after the burn.
  3. Remove rings, watches and non-stuck clothing before swelling starts — but never pull off anything stuck to the skin.
  4. Cover the burn loosely with clear plastic wrap (kitchen film) or a clean, non-fluffy cloth.
  5. Give simple pain relief (paracetamol) if needed.

Videos for this topic

A kitchen burn: the common mistakes and the right first aid

25 seconds

No toothpaste, butter or ice — cool running water for 20 minutes, then a clean non-stick cover. Any burn in a child, or on the face or hands: the ER at once.

Watch it on Instagram

A burn: the first 20 minutes make the difference

44 seconds

Cool running water — not iced — for a full 20 minutes, then a clean non-stick cover. No toothpaste, butter or ice. A burn larger than the palm, on the face, hands or joints, or with large blisters: the ER.

Cool running water for a full 20 minutes — the first and most important treatment
Cool running water for a full 20 minutes — the first and most important treatment
The full details

The steps

  1. Move the person safely away from the burn source.
  2. Cool running tap water over the burn for a full 20 minutes — not ice, not iced water. It helps even up to 3 hours after the burn.
  3. Remove rings, watches and non-stuck clothing before swelling starts — but never pull off anything stuck to the skin.
  4. Cover the burn loosely with clear plastic wrap (kitchen film) or a clean, non-fluffy cloth.
  5. Give simple pain relief (paracetamol) if needed.

Go to the ER if the burn is

  • On the face, hands, feet, genitals, or over joints.
  • Larger than the person's palm, or deep (white/charred skin that doesn't hurt).
  • Electrical or chemical (rinse chemical burns for 20 minutes and go immediately).
  • On an infant, young child, or elderly person.
  • With smoke inhalation: hoarse voice, cough, soot around the nose and mouth — a breathing emergency.

Never put on a burn

  • Toothpaste — traps heat inside the skin and worsens damage and infection.
  • Ice — causes frostbite injury on top of the burn.
  • Butter, oils, honey, coffee — they all hinder treatment and add contamination.
  • Popping blisters — a blister is a natural sterile dressing.

Children's burns

Most are from hot liquids in the kitchen: turn pot handles away from the stove edge and keep hot drinks away from table edges — prevention is easier than twenty minutes under water.

This content is for general health education only and is not medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. In an emergency, call 998.

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