Cooking Oil Burns: Treatment & Severity - A Guide

Skin burns are not uncommon, and many burns that occur at home begin in the kitchen. Hot cooking oil burns need to be treated differently than burns caused by electricity or chemicals.

Understanding the Severity

• Before a burn is treated, a person should first determine the severity of a burn. A medical professional should treat all third-degree burns. Third-degree burns are severe enough to destroy nerve endings. Third degree burned skin will appear either white or the color of charred meat.

Treating the Burn

• The first step to treating a skin burn from cooking oil is to remove any clothing that may touch or interfere with the burn. Next, an individual should run cool water over the burn, clean the burn gently and then loosely wrap the area in gauze. According to Herbal Cure India, individuals may also want to consider applying aloe vera to the burn after cleansing it. Aloe vera is known for its ability to accelerate the healing process and may also feel soothing.

Considerations

• Keeping gauze or loose bandages over the burn can keep particles and bacteria from coming into contact with the burn site; however, it's a good idea to let a burn breathe. The gauze shouldn't be wrapped so tightly that air can't circulate. According to Nutra Legacy, an individual may feel tempted to apply ice to a burn, but this is not a smart idea. Ice can worsen the pain and possibly delay healing.