Common Mistakes to Avoid During Burn Treatment

Many traditional burn remedies can actually worsen injuries. Understanding what NOT to do is crucial for proper burn care.

Critical Mistakes:

1. Using Ice or Ice Water

- Can cause frostbite on burned tissue - May increase tissue damage - Causes blood vessels to constrict - Use cool, not cold water

2. Applying Butter, Oil, or Grease

- Traps heat in tissue - Increases burn depth - Risk of infection - Difficult to remove for medical treatment

3. Breaking Blisters

- Increases infection risk - Delays healing - More scarring - Blisters protect healing tissue

4. Using Adhesive Bandages

- Sticks to burned skin - Painful to remove - Can tear healing tissue - Use non-stick dressings only

DO vs. DON'T Comparison List:

| DO | DON'T | |---|---| | Use cool running water | Use ice or ice water | | Remove jewelry immediately | Force stuck clothing off | | Cover with clean, dry sheet | Apply butter, oils, or toothpaste | | Keep person warm overall | Immerse large burns in water | | Elevate burned limbs | Break blisters | | Give pain medication | Give fluids if severe burns | | Seek medical care when in doubt | Use fluffy cotton on burns | | Monitor for shock | Apply antibiotic ointment to major burns |

Dangerous Home Remedies to Avoid:

Common Myths:

- Egg whites (infection risk) - Toothpaste (can deepen burn) - Tomatoes or mustard (irritating) - Petroleum jelly on fresh burns (traps heat) - Alcohol (extremely painful, damaging)

Why These Don't Work:

- Most trap heat in tissue - Increase infection risk - Make medical assessment difficult - Can cause chemical reactions - Delay proper treatment