Fire is not the only culprit that causes burns, hot liquids like soup, hot chocolate, and coffee can cause injury too. Electricity, radiation, and chemicals like acid can also burn someone. There are also thigs that we do daily that put us at risk of being burned, like baking cookies or a casserole, getting on or off a motorcycle, or changing the oil on a car just after it was on the road, etc.

Treatment for Burns

You are in a rush to get dinner done and you need to drain the spaghetti in the colander in the sink, you pour the water into the colander and steam starts to burn your fingers so you drop the hot pot and burn your forearms, what do you do? COOL the wound! Run the burn(s) under cool water, this cools the affected area down and prevents more damage. Wrap the burn in sterile gauze or bandage and keep it dry and clean. If pain persists, gets worse, or you later see signs of infection like fever, redness, swelling, see a doctor.

What Not to Do

Don't do what your mother used to do. Some remedies, although passed down through generations, are not the best thing to do research is coming to prove. DO NOT put a bunch of goop on the wound like butter, honey, aloe, or ointments. If the wound needs to be looked at by a professional, it is painful to scrape off. Butter used to be a go to remedy that many believed soothed the burn and kept out bacteria. This is not the case, in fact butter creates the perfect climate for bacterial growth and traps the heat in. Another remedy found in your kitchen is egg whites. Never use egg whites, especially organic ones, they can carry bacteria including salmonella. A little honey for minor burns is okay, and is found to actually heal wounds faster than anti-bacterial ointments.

George Tait Law

There are many circumstances beside the typical burn scenarios discussed above. At George Tait Law we have years of experience helping burn victims and their families. George was a registered nurse for 10 years at the University of Utah Burn Trauma Unit, and has seen first-hand the effects burn victims can incur. We are ready help you and your family with the assistance you need.

George Tait Law and its attorneys are licensed to practice law only in the State of Utah and maintain offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. No attorney client relationship is established by simply visiting this website.