Home remedies for burns are effective for soothing painful skin after a burn injury. Because untreated burns often leave permanent scarring, home remedies for burns can also be useful in minimizing this effect. Since there are many types of burns and many causes, it is important to clearly define what a burn is, what kinds respond best to natural cures for burns and then discuss possible home remedies.
Burns Definition
Damage to skin and body parts due to contact with intense heat by fire, chemicals or electricity.
Burns Causes
Causes:
- Coming in contact with intense heat or fire
- Chemicals
- Electrocution
Burns Symptoms
Depending upon the severity of the burn, different symptoms may be evident. A few of these are:
- Painful, red skin
- White discoloration (most common in third-degree burns)
- Blisters
- Pus oozing from skin
- Charred skin (most common in third-degree burns)
It is important to note that third-degree burns are the most destructive and dangerous type of burns and are most often caused by direct contact with fire, electrical burns or chemical burns. Third-degree burns may not be accompanied by pain if the nerve endings in that area were destroyed in the burning process.
Home Remedies for Burns
Applying butter to a burn is believed to be on the list of home remedies for burns, but it is actually a very bad choice. Burned skin will continue to burn beneath the surface even when it is separated from the cause and applying butter to it actually aids in the burning process. Butter on burned skin literally helps it to “cook”.
While most people also immediately reach for ice to cool a burn, few realize that freezing temperatures are destructive to skin cells too. Instead, cool water from the faucet is a much better choice.
A few of the best home remedies for burns are very simple and easy to use, such as:
- Applying cool water to stop the burning process.
- Applying milk to the burned area. The fat content in milk helps cool the site by absorbing the heat and it promotes rapid healing.
- After the burning has stopped, a burn should also be regularly cleaned with water and a very gentle soap.
- After cleaning, loosely wrap the burned area with gauze to keep bacteria from infiltrating and infecting the wound.
- Elevate the burned area as often as possible to prevent swelling and reduce pain.
Herbal remedies for burns, vitamin and mineral supplementation are also very useful in promoting positive healing and in reducing scarring. A few herbs, vitamins and mineral rich foods useful in this regard are:
- Aloe Vera gel applies instant cooling relief and helps damaged skin tissue recover.
- Eating foods high in zinc, such as oysters and other shellfish, or taking a zinc supplement promotes healthy skin and reduces the healing time for burns.
- Eating foods that are high in vitamins A, C and E, such as broccoli, citrus fruits and whole grain cereals also assist in the skin’s recovery from burns. Vitamin E supplements can also be applied directly to the burn to reduce the likelihood or intensity of permanent scarring.
Home remedies and natural cures for burns are intended for minor first or second-degree burns. When a person has experienced a more serious third-degree burn, medical attention should be sought immediately and home remedies for burns used in conjunction with medical advisory after an assessment has been made.
