Dan's Fund for Burns :: Need some help? :: Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT  DOES  IT  MEAN  TO  BE BURNED?     Burns can be a lifetime sentence...!

• How do burns affect the skin?
  Our skin is the largest organ of our body, it controls our temperature. It prevents infection, has 5 layers, is flexible and elastic. When the skin is burnt, it literally peals off you - leaving the surface raw rather like a rare steak. This large scale removal is absolute agony and the pain cannot be drug controlled for at least 3 weeks.
  
  

• How long does it take for burns to heal?
  To heal the open, raw surface area, surgeons take the top layer of skin from donor sites i.e. unburned areas of the body and then staples it over the wounds. Unfortunately, the take up rate of grafts is roughly 70%, so most burns victims need several rounds of surgery.
  
  

• What long term problems are burns victims left with?
  Scarring, discolouration, disfigurement, itching and pain are the long term legacy of such horrific trauma to the body. Most victims will have the prospect of further grafting and skin releasing operations in future years to come. Other than the scarring & disfigurement there is ongoing pain as the skin is no longer elastic and becomes very sensitive to the sun.
  
  

• What is the difference between a 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree burn?
  There are 3 different degrees of burn: Superficial (1st degree), Partial thickness (2nd degree) & Full thickness (3rd degree).

  • Superficial or 1st Degree

    • burns only affect the outer layer of the skin (epidermis)

    • redness & swelling seen with sharp burning pain but skin will heal naturally leaving no scarring within a week or so.

  • Partial Thickness or 2nd Degree

    • both the outer layer (epidermis) and the under layer (dermal layer) are affected by the burn

    • blistering, redness & swelling and sever pain felt – with treatment often the skin can heal without skin grafts and can leave scarring.

  • Full Thickness or 3rd Degree

    • both the outer layer & under layer are totally destroyed and deeper tissue layers, muscles and even bone can be affected by the burn

    • skin can appear charred, white or black

    • pain on the burn site is often reduced as the nerve endings can be completely destroyed but the surrounding burn area is extremely painful.

    • the Burn site looses sensation and skin grafts are necessary for survival.
      
      

• What is the survival rate for burns victims?
  To work out the likelihood of survival from burns use this simple calculation: Age of patient + % burnt.
  The lower the result the better but the rule of thumb is that anything over 100 is extremely bad news.

For more information on burns and burns treatment view these sites:

MedIndia.Com - General Info about Burns

PersonalMD - First Aid for Third-Degree Burns

DrKoop.Com - Burns

eHow - How to Recover From Treatment of a Third-Degree Burn