Don't do these stupid things after being burned! Remember these things in first aid so that you can recover quickly

In life, there are countless scald incidents caused by various reasons, and the elderly and children are more likely to get burned. In the process of treating scalds, there are some common folk misunderstandings, which may aggravate the injury or delay treatment.

1. What are the common misunderstandings about burn treatment among the people?

Apply toothpaste, soy sauce, gentian violet, or even some "secret recipes passed down from generation to generation" such as wood ash.

Experts from the Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine) remind you: These items have no effect on treating burns. Instead, they may increase the risk of infection and affect the doctor's judgment of the injury.

1. Apply ice directly

Although ice compress can reduce temperature, the low temperature of ice may cause frostbite and aggravate skin damage. Therefore, it is recommended to use running cold water instead of direct ice compress.

2. Forced removal of clothing

If clothing is tightly attached to the skin, forcibly removing the clothing may cause skin damage and secondary injury. Use clean scissors to carefully cut the clothing.

3. Neglecting professional treatment

Some people think that skin injuries can be treated by themselves without medical treatment, but in fact, even minor burns may cause infection or other complications. Therefore, you should pay great attention to burns. If the burn area is large or the degree is deep, you should go to a specialist for treatment in time.

4. Use anti-scarring drugs too early

Anti-scar drugs should be used after the wound has healed completely. Using them too early may affect wound healing or cause other adverse reactions.

2. When burns occur, what are the correct household emergency measures?

When a burn occurs, home emergency treatment is critical. The correct method can effectively reduce the damage, prevent infection, and promote healing. The following are basic emergency treatment measures for burns:

1. Remove from heat immediately

If the burn is caused by flames, hot water, hot oil, etc., the first thing to do is to quickly move away from the heat source to avoid continued injury.

2. Rinse with cold water

Immediately rinse the burned area with plenty of running cold water for 10-30 minutes to lower the skin temperature and relieve pain and edema. Be careful not to let the water temperature drop too low to avoid frostbite.

3. Take off your clothes

If the burned area is covered with clothing, be careful to remove it to avoid tearing it directly and damaging the skin or blisters. If the clothing is tightly attached to the skin, use clean scissors to cut the clothing apart, but be careful not to cut the skin.

4. Cover the wound

Gently cover the burned area with clean gauze or towel to protect the wound from external contamination. Be careful not to cover the wound with rough cloth or items that are easy to stick. Apply an appropriate amount of moist burn ointment to protect the wound and relieve pain.

5. Seek medical treatment

If the burn area is large, the degree is deep, or there are other symptoms (such as difficulty breathing, coma, etc.), you should seek medical treatment urgently. On the way to the hospital, you can continue to apply cold compresses to the wound with gauze or a clean wet towel.

Zhu Haili, chief nurse and head of the Nursing Department of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine), reminds that the key to scald prevention is to pay attention to the details of daily life, change bad behaviors that can cause scalds, and prevent children without cognitive abilities and elderly people with poor perception (such as patients with diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, mental disorders, etc.) from approaching objects that are prone to scalding, such as various auxiliary heat tools in winter (such as stoves, hot water bottles, etc.), kitchen utensils, high-temperature water and oil, etc.

The main goal of home emergency treatment after burns is to reduce skin temperature, relieve pain and exudate edema, and avoid using wrong folk methods. If the burn is severe or accompanied by other symptoms, you should seek medical treatment in time.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Hu Lai, Nursing Department, Hunan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

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(Edited by ZS)