Why can't I put ice on a burn?

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

Putting ice directly on a burn can cause more damage to the skin. The extreme cold from the ice can cause frostbite and further injury the burned area. It’s better to run cool water over a minor burn for 5-10 minutes. For more serious burns, the recommended first aid is to rinse the area with cool water, cover loosely with a sterile bandage, and seek medical attention. Don’t use ice, butter, or anything else on severe burns.

What is the proper first aid for a minor burn?

For a minor burn, the proper first aid is:

Cool the burn by holding it under cool (not cold) running water for 5-10 minutes. The cool temperature will soothe the burn and stop the burning process.
Gently wash the burn with mild soap and water. Take care not to scrub the skin.
Pat dry with a clean towel.

Apply a thin layer of antibiotic cream or aloe vera gel to prevent infection and promote healing.
Cover loosely with sterile gauze or a non-stick bandage.

Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste, tomato juice, raw egg whites, or any other home remedies. These can damage the skin and increase risk of infection. Over-the-counter burn relief spray or gel can also help soothe minor burns. Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief as needed.

See your doctor if the burn worsens or does not heal within a few days. Signs of infection include increasing pain, redness, swelling, oozing, and fever.

Why is ice not recommended for burns?

Putting ice directly on a burn can cause more damage to the skin in a couple ways:

The extreme cold temperature of ice can cause frostbite. Frostbite damages skin tissue and impedes healing.

Ice makes the injury site very cold. When the ice is removed, the rapid warming causes more pain and inflammation.
Ice can stick to the damaged skin, tearing away newly formed scabs when removed.
Using ice restricts blood flow to the injury, which provides less oxygen and nutrients needed for healing.

In summary, the freezing temperature of ice can further traumatize the burned skin. Cool running water is a safer method to stop the burning process. After cooling, keep the burn moist and protected with a light dressing. Never put ice directly on a fresh burn.

What’s the proper first aid for a severe burn?

For a severe burn, it’s critical to get emergency medical care. As you wait for help:

Check for life-threatening conditions. Call 911 if the person is having trouble breathing or is unresponsive.

Cool the burn with cool running water for 3-5 minutes. Do not use ice.
Remove any jewelry or clothing near the burned area, but do not tear away pieces that are stuck to skin.
Cover the area loosely with a sterile bandage, clean cloth, or sheet. Do not apply butter, ointment, ice, etc.

Elevate the burned limb to reduce swelling.
Give the person fluids and ibuprofen for pain, but avoid giving anything by mouth if they are nauseated or vomiting.
Watch closely for signs of shock, such as paleness, sweating, fainting, or breathing issues. Keep the person warm.

Get emergency help for large burns, full thickness burns, burns with white/charred skin, burns on the face/airway, burns in children or elderly, or electrical/chemical burns. These require specialist wound care to decrease chance of scarring and infection.

Why shouldn’t you put butter on a burn?

Butter became a popular home remedy for burns years ago. But doctors strongly advise against putting butter or greasy ointments on a burn for several reasons:

Butter can seal in heat, making the burn worse.

It does not have properties to actually soothe or heal the skin.
Butter can cause a severe allergic reaction for some people.
Greasy products impair detection of burn depth, making diagnosis difficult.

Butter traps bacteria, raising infection risk.
Applying butter pulls heat into the skin, increasing tissue damage.
The oil in butter makes blisters more likely to rupture.

Instead of butter, the best practice is flush the burn with cool water, then gently wash with mild soap and cover with a sterile dressing. Butter should never be used for first aid on a burn. Seek medical treatment for anything beyond a minor burn.

What’s the difference between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns?

Burns are classified by severity into three categories:

First Degree Burns

Affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis)

Appear red and painful, like a sunburn
Heal on their own within a week

Second Degree Burns

Damage both the epidermis and the layer below (dermis)

Cause pain, redness, blistering, and swelling
Can take 2-3 weeks to heal

Third Degree Burns

Destroy the full thickness of skin and underlying tissues

Have a charred or white appearance
Cause numbness due to nerve damage
Require excision and skin grafting to heal

Result in scarring and disfigurement

The deeper and more severe a burn is, the more rapidly it needs emergency medical care to prevent complications like dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, infection, and scarring. First aid for all burns involves gently cooling and protecting the skin.

How do I treat a minor burn at home?

For mild, superficial burns that only affect the top layer of skin, you can provide first aid at home:

Immediately rinse the burn with cool water for 5-10 minutes to stop the burning process.
Wash the area gently with mild soap and water. Avoid rough scrubbing.
Apply a thin layer of antibacterial or aloe vera gel/cream.

Cover loosely with a sterile bandage or non-stick dressing.
Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.
Keep the burn moisturized with cream or gel as it heals over 1-2 weeks.

Signs of infection include increasing pain, swelling, oozing, redness, fever, and red streaks. See your doctor promptly if the burn shows signs of infection or is not healing well after a few days. Deeper and larger burns always require medical evaluation, even if they look minor at first.

How do doctors treat serious burns?

For serious, full thickness burns, specialized medical treatment is required:

Fluids and electrolytes are given intravenously to prevent dehydration.

Antibiotics are provided to prevent or treat infection.
Debridement is done to remove damaged tissue.
Skin grafting is needed to permanently replace damaged skin.

Physical therapy prevents scarring and contractures.
Nutritional support via feeding tube may be used.
Medications help relieve pain and reduce risk of complications.

Severe burns always require hospital admission under the care of a specialized burn team. Treatment can involve multiple surgeries, extensive wound care, months of rehabilitation, and other therapies to maximize healing and prevent complications. With the best modern care, survival rates continue to improve for serious burns.

What complications can develop from burns?

Some potential complications that can result from severe, deep burns include:

Infection – Bacteria can readily enter the broken skin.

Dehydration – Large fluid losses occur from the burn site.
Scarring – Deep burns often heal with considerable scarring.
Contractures – Scarring causes tightening and loss of joint mobility.

Loss of muscle/function – Extensive burns can destroy muscle tissues.
Hypertrophic scarring – Scars can become thick and disfiguring.
Electrolyte imbalance – Chemical levels in the body can become disturbed.

Doctors take steps to prevent these complications in patients with major burns. Split-thickness skin grafting is generally needed for deeper injuries. Physical therapists work to keep burned areas flexible as they heal. Compression garments may improve scarring. Nutrition and hydration are carefully managed. With proper treatment, many burn patients recover well.

Can I pop a blister from a minor burn?

It’s best not to pop blisters that form over minor burns. Blisters help protect damaged skin underneath as it heals. Popping them raises the risk of infection. If a blister pops on its own, wash the area with mild soap and water, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover with a sterile bandage. Never peel off any loose skin that remains. Seek medical care if signs of infection develop, like increasing pain, swelling and redness. For severe burns, blisters must be left intact to avoid further tissue damage. Doctors may drain serious burn blisters if they limit circulation or movement.

When do I need to see a doctor for a burn?

See your doctor or an urgent care clinic promptly for:

Burns over large surface areas of the body
Full thickness burns with white/charred skin
Burns on the hands, feet, genitals, face, joints, or buttocks

Chemical or electrical burns
Any burn in an infant or elderly person
Deep burns or burns with significant blistering

Signs of infection like increasing pain, redness, fever, or oozing
Extreme pain that over-the-counter medication does not relieve

Serious burns require special wound care to prevent scarring and contractures. Infected burns can progress rapidly. Do not wait more than a day or two before getting medical attention for significant, deep, or large total body surface area burns. Seek emergency help immediately for chemical or electrical burns.

How long do burn injuries take to heal?

Healing time for burns depends on the severity, location, and size of the injury:

First degree burns – Generally heal within 5-10 days
Second degree burns – Can take 2-3 weeks to heal

Third degree burns – Require surgery so can take months to heal
Partial thickness face/joint burns – May heal in up to 3-4 weeks
Full thickness burns – Heal only through grafting new skin

Larger and deeper burns take the longest to heal. Areas like the hands, joints, or face also take longer to recover from burns due to frequent movement and vulnerability to infection. Physical therapy is often needed during healing to prevent contractures from scarring. Nutrition and wound care also impact how quickly the body can heal after serious burns.

How can I reduce scarring from a healed burn?

To help minimize scarring after a burn has fully closed:

Use over-the-counter silicone gel sheets or silicone-based scar cream.

Try products containing ingredients like onion extract or vitamin E.
Massage the scar daily with lotion to improve pliability.
Apply sunscreen to prevent tanning/darkening of the scar.

Wear compression sleeves or garments as recommended.
Consider seeing a plastic surgeon or dermatologist for deeper scars.
Get injections or laser treatments to flatten thick or discolored scars.

Scar treatment is most effective starting 6 weeks after the burn has healed, once the wound is fully closed and pinkish. Deeper injuries result in worse scarring. Early use of silicone sheets and massages improves long-term scar appearance. Severe burn scars may require surgical revision.

Conclusion

Putting ice directly on a burn can harm the skin and should be avoided. Cool running water for 5-10 minutes is the recommended first aid for minor burns. More serious burns require sterile dressings and urgent medical care to prevent complications like infection, fluid loss, and scarring. While butter and other home remedies are not advised, over-the-counter burn creams and gels can help soothe pain and promote healing for mild burns treated at home. See your doctor promptly if a burn is deep, large, or showing signs of infection.