You’re preparing dinner for the family when you accidentally grab a hot pot without a potholder, or boiling water splashes onto your hand while you’re draining the pot of pasta. A cooking burn will most likely be either a first or second-degree burn where only the first or second layers of skin are injured. It’s ok to treat a cooking burn at home if it’s small, but see a doctor if the burn is over 2 inches in size or is on your face.
Step 1 Hold the burned area under cool running water for 10 minutes or until the pain subsides. You can also fill a bowl with cool water and submerge the burned area into the water for 10 minutes. The cool water helps reduce the swelling as it dissipates the heat from the burned area.
Step 2 Gently pat the burn dry with a clean cloth and apply a layer of aloe vera or antibacterial cream.
Step 3 Cover the burned area with a strip of gauze to protect it and to keep any resulting blisters from popping.
Step 4
Change the gauze daily for a second degree burn and reapply the cream. Wash your hands before changing the bandage or applying the cream.
Step 5 Take acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen if the burn continues to cause pain.
Words by Anaverde Magazine
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