Burns are damage to skin tissues under the influence of high temperature. Burns may be caused by pouring boiling water on the skin, exposure to chemicals, sunlight or electric shock or lightning. Find out what the types and degrees of burns are. What is the classification of skin burns?

Burnsare tissue damage caused by high temperature. Depending on the amount of temperature that affects the human body and the duration of its action, local or systemic damage occurs, respectively. What are thetypesandskin burn grades ?

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Types of body burns

  • Thermal burns- are caused by the action of heat (e.g. boiling water, hot oil).
  • Chemical burns- are caused by corrosive chemicals such as acids, alkalis and heavy metal s alts. They cause changes to the skin and mucous membranes resembling thermal burns, i.e. mainly second-degree burns. Depending on the type of chemical substances, there is an early or delayed corrosive and generally toxic effect. Acid burn is characterized by the formation of a dry scab of varying color on the skin. In turn, a caustic burn causes the skin to develop a soft, moist, whitish scab (the so-called slough necrosis).
  • Electric burns- are caused by the flow of electric current through the body, i.e. electric shocks. The power source is usually a domestic or industrial electrical system or lightning.
  • Radiation burns- are the result of radioactive radiation (X-ray, UV and other extreme radiation factors), as well as solar radiation.

Burn classification

Skin burns may occur under the influence of temperature42 ° C . At this temperature, the epidermis becomes necrotic after6 hours . At the temperature of55 °C, the burn takes place after3 minutes , and at70 ° C- only after1 second .

The threshold temperature above which tissue proteinis irreversibly damaged is 55 ° C. Each one is higherthe temperature that acts on the surface of the body causes damage to the skin and deeper tissues, i.e. necrosis. This type of damage is usually irreversible.

Distinguished by4 degrees of burn , which depend on the depth of the damage.

Degrees of skin burns

Light- 1st or 2nd degree burns do not exceed 15% of the body surface, and 3rd degree burns - 5%.

Moderate- any 2nd or 3rd degree burn that covers 15-20% of the body surface area in an adult, and 10% in a child or an elderly person requires hospital treatment as it leads to burn shock which is life-threatening. The cause of death in younger children may be burns of 10-15% of the body surface.

Severe- 1st or 2nd degree burns over 50% of the body surface, and 3rd degree burns over 15%. Especially in children and the elderly, it can lead to death within 24-48 hours after the burn.

1st degree burn

Only includes the epidermis. Its characteristic features are:

  • redness of the skin, i.e.erythema
  • slight swelling
  • painful skin burning

Erythema can be the result of a short-term exposure to steam, not too hot water or strong sunlight. Reddening of the skin usually lasts a few days and heals spontaneously after exfoliation. The 1st degree of burns does not carry a risk of scarring.

In this case, hold the burned area under a stream of cold waterfor several dozen seconds. Superficial and minor burns can also be washed with a wound cleansing product. You can reach for a preparation containing, for example,polyhexanidine- a substance that supports the wound healing process and does not promote the development of microbial resistance. Then gentlydry the burn areawith sterile gauze and apply a clean, dry dressing.

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Second degree burn

Second degree burns may occur after pouring boiling water, hot oil or under the influence of steam, chemicals, etc.

There is asuperficial 2nd degree burn (II A) , which covers the epidermis and part of the dermis. The following will then appear:

  • redness and swelling
  • blisters filled with yellowish serum

Blisters are dead skin cells lifted by the accumulating tissue fluid underneath it. Strong inflammatory and necrotic processes of the epidermis are observed hereon the border with the dermis, accompanied by:

  • severe pain

It takes around10-14 days to heal . Second degree A burns leave onlyslight discoloration .

2nd degree deep burn (II B)which covers the epidermis and the entire thickness of the dermis, which is manifested by:

  • white skin with red points (superficial necrosis)
  • a pain that is less than a Stage II A burn because the nerve endings have been damaged.

The healing time of wounds created in this way takes approx.3 weeks . After the wounds heal,scars .

Important! When is it necessary to see a doctor?

If it happened:

  • burnselectrocutionorcorrosiveand the length of the wound is greater than2.5 cm , burnsoralorairway , burns2nd degreeand the wound is larger than victim's hand ;
  • blisters or skin damage is deep;
  • when the victim suffers from chronic cardiovascular disease, diabetes or when the victim is a pregnant woman.

Remember:

  • always dress the woundwear disposable glovesto avoid contamination;
  • burnsdo not cover with plaster;
  • woundsdo not lubricatewith any ointment or gel;
  • if the burn requires medical attention, do not give the injured personanything to drink or eat ; it may be necessary to use anesthesia, and the consumed meal prevents this.

Third degree burns

With third degree burns, damage to the entire skin layer is observed, and often also to the deeper tissues. This leads to skin necrosis. After the necrotic part is dry,white-gray or yellow scabs are formed . The 3rd degree burn causesvery severe pain , and the surface of the burned skin isinsensitive to touch . Then, the separation of the dead parts is observed and the formation ofgranulation tissueandscars .

These types of burns are the result of prolonged exposure to boiling water, hot oil, and open fire. Third degree burns often requiresurgical treatmentskin grafts.

4th degree burns

An extreme form of a burn istissue charring . The necrosis covers all tissues down to the bone. You can see internal organs, muscles and tendons. Stage IV burns may result from prolonged exposure to fire orelectric burn.

Systemic disorders of 3rd and 4th degree burns

Apart from local lesions, third and fourth degree burns cause systemic disturbances in the form ofhypovolemic shock(which is the result of massive loss of water and electrolytes by burned surfaces), and then the so-calledburn disease , which is caused by:

  • pain,
  • blood plasma loss,
  • poisoning the body by absorbed products of tissue protein breakdown.

The more extensive the burn surface, the more fluid and protein escape from the blood into the swollen tissues and blisters, and the greater the intensity of the lesions. The risk of shock also increases. In this case, next todepth (degree)of the burn, itsextentis also very important.

How to calculate how many percent of the body has been burned?

To calculate the extent of a burn, the most common isBerkow tablesor the so-calledrule of nine(9% head, 9% each upper limb, 18% front of the body, 18% back of the body, 18% each lower limb).

In young children, due to the fact that the head is proportionally much larger than in an adult, it was calculated that it constitutes 18% of the body surface, and the lower limbs are 13%. The rest remains unchanged.

The "hand rule" is also used - the surface of the patient's hand is 1% of the body's surface.

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