Third-Degree Burns: Symptoms, Causes & Emergency Care

Burns almost always happen unexpectedly: you didn’t realize how much time you spent in the sun, you were unaware that pan lid was hot when you picked it up. You will most likely suffer pain and redness, maybe even blisters from these burns. A third-degree burn, on the other hand, is a much more serious injury that requires immediate medical treatment. Contact with scalding liquids, flames from a fire, chemicals or electricity can all result in third degree burns. Without proper medical care, the burn may not heal because the skin has been destroyed.

Things You'll Need

• A calm approach
• Excellent evaluation skills
• Professional medical care

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Instructions

• 1

  Determine the level of pain associated with the burn. A deep burn that is not particularly painful may be a third-degree burn; nerve endings have been destroyed. Pain is most often a sign of a first- or second-degree burn.

• 2

  Evaluate the appearance of the burn. A burn that is white or black in color (charred), as opposed to red, may be a third degree burn.

• 3

  Assess the amount of damage done to underlying tissue. A burn that has destroyed layers of skin, revealing fat, muscle or bone may be a third degree burn.

• 4

  Assess the overall condition of the burn victim. A burn accompanied by other physical symptoms, including nausea, headache, fever, shortness of breath, or body ache, may be a third-degree burn. Seek medical attention immediately.