Tower Bridge Hospital London 97–99 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1DT
020 7916 0029 · Open Mon–Sat, 9am–7pm (closed Sundays until September)
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Patient information · Urgent care

Minor burns and scalds
looking after your burn at home

Most small burns heal well within two weeks and leave little or no mark. What you do in the first twenty minutes makes the biggest difference, and good dressing care afterwards does the rest.

First aid, in order

1. Stop the burning. Move away from the heat source. If clothing is alight, stop, drop and smother the flames with a blanket — never put yourself at risk.
2. Cool the burn under cool or lukewarm running water for at least 20 minutes. Start as soon as you can. It is still worth doing up to three hours after the injury.
3. Take off clothing and jewellery near the burn — including rings and watches, before swelling starts. Leave anything that is stuck to the skin exactly where it is.
4. Keep the rest of the body warm with a blanket or layers of clothing, avoiding the burn itself. Long cooling can drop body temperature, especially in children.
5. Cover the burn loosely with cling film, laid over the area in a single layer rather than wrapped around a limb. A clean, clear plastic bag works well for a hand or foot. For a facial burn, use a clean, damp, lint-free cloth instead.

Looking after the dressing

• If your burn has been dressed, leave the dressing undisturbed for 24 to 48 hours and keep it dry and clean.
• Arrange a review at around 48 hours so the burn can be checked and redressed. We can do this here, or you can see your own practice nurse.
• If the dressing becomes soaked, slips off, or starts to smell, do not wait for the review — get it looked at.

Swelling and position

A burn will swell as fluid moves into the area. Keeping the burnt part raised whenever you can lets that fluid drain away.

• Face: sit upright during the day and prop yourself up on pillows at night. Lying flat allows fluid to collect around the eyes, which can make them difficult to open.
• Hand: if you have been given a burn bag or plastic bag dressing, keep your fingers and hand moving inside it. A stiff hand causes far more long-term trouble than the burn itself.

Signs the burn may be infected

Infection usually shows up after the first day or two. Contact us, your GP or NHS 111 the same day if you notice:

• pain that is getting worse rather than better, or an unpleasant smell;
• the skin around the burn becoming red, swollen and hot to touch;
• fluid or pus leaking through the dressing;
• a temperature, shivering, or generally feeling unwell.

Healing and scarring

Most minor burns heal with little or no scarring. If your burn has not healed within two weeks, it needs to be reviewed — burns that take longer than that are more likely to scar and may need specialist input.

• Once the skin has fully healed, moisturise it two to three times a day with a simple emollient such as aqueous cream, emulsifying ointment or liquid paraffin.
• New skin burns easily. Keep the area covered with clothing, or use SPF 30 or higher whenever you are outside, for at least a year.
• Some itching and colour change is normal for several months as the skin settles.

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