Burns

50,000 Australians visit hospital due to burns each year

The kitchen is the most dangerous room in the house for burns

60 degree water can burn a child’s skin in only a second

WHAT HAPPENS

After a Burn?

When exposed to fire, hot liquids or steam, or certain chemicals, your skin becomes damaged and its cells around the injured area die. Burns range from mild to severe – depending on how many layers of skin are damaged and how much of your body is affected. They cause redness, inflammation and blisters – and may lead to permanent scarring.

Call for medical assistance immediately after any serious or extensive burn.

Hand burn

HOW TO TREAT

Immediately

To avoid tissue damage, treat any burn straight away with a burn gel-infused dressing. This non-adherent dressing is non-toxic and the rapid cooling helps to relieve pain. It also hydrates the burn site, which encourages faster healing. 

Watch the video to learn how to apply a burn gen-infused dressing. 

HOW TO TREAT

During Healing

For effective healing and to prevent infection, it’s important to properly cover a burn with a sterile waterproof dressing – which acts as an antibacterial barrier. It allows the wearer to shower without needing to redress and can be kept in place for up to 7 days. 

Watch the video to learn how to apply a waterproof film dressing.

What’s the difference between first, second, third and fourth degree burns?

Degrees of a burn refers to how much damage it’s done to the layers of skin, so how much damage does each degree do?

1st degree burn

Affects the top layer of skin only.

2nd degree burn

Damages the top layer of skin and the dermis underneath. Will blister and be sorer to the touch.

3rd degree burn

Destroys two layers of your skin completely and damages nerve endings.

4th degree burn

Catastrophically damages skin and muscles or tendons. Can be life threatening.

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