Signs of first-degree burns include:
RedHot to the touchIrritatedDryNo blisters or bubbles
BlistersSevere painSloughing, or when the top layer of skin falls awaySwellingWeeping fluid, or fluid that oozes out
A second-degree burn is considered severe when it can potentially cause a loss of function in the the part of the body burned. When emergency healthcare providers determine the severity of a burn, they look to determine the extent of the body burned.
A swollen, second-degree burn that goes all the way around an arm or leg can also put pressure on nerve cells and restrict blood flow to other parts of the body that aren’t even involved in the burned area. This is known as compartment syndrome.
In the worst-case scenario, compartment syndrome can cause tissue to die and give off toxins that increase the overall damage. If left untreated, this can lead to amputation, or worse, fatality.
Second-degree burns can develop over time if not treated promptly. Skin tissue continues to burn even after the heat source is gone. It’s similar to how steak continues to cook when taken off the grill. If you want the skin to stop burning, you’ll have to actively cool it down.
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Signs of second-degree road rash include:
Jagged, torn top layer of skinRaw dermis, or the inner layers of skinPossibly oozing bloodWeeping fluid, or fluid leaking from the burn
Since burns are essentially just damage to the outermost layers of skin, called the epidermis, road rash treatment and burn treatment are very similar.
In the picture above, the deep second-degree burn was caused when an oven door sprung back up before the person was able to get their arm out.
For a burn to be considered third degree, the damage has to have completely destroyed all the layers of skin and reached the fatty tissue underneath. There’s just no way to tell that outside of a hospital.
If the skin is not intact, treatment is also essential to prevent bacteria from entering into the wound.
This one is a third-degree burn because the muffler burned the skin on the arch of the foot all the way through the inner layers of the skin and into the subcutaneous tissue beneath, or the layer of tissue underneath the skin.
Signs of a third-degree burn include:
Black center areaDry burnSurrounded by second-degree burned skin
First-degree burns don’t blister and only involve the top layer of the skin. Second-degree burns, also called partial-thickness burns, affect the outermost layer of skin and extend to the middle skin layer below.
In a third-degree burn, the damage completely destroys the thick layer of skin and reaches the fatty tissue underneath.
