How are third-degree burns treated?

On Behalf of | Nov 30, 2018 | Burn Injuries

While first- and second-degree burns may be painful, there’s little chance that they’ll leave you needing a surgery, with disfiguring scars, a long recovery ahead of you or dead. These are realities that third-degree burn victims face though.

Some of the most common ways that individuals get third-degree burns is by exposing their skin to a hot electrical object or a fire’s flames for a long time, by accidentally pouring a scalding liquid on them or by coming in contact with certain chemicals.

Third-degree burns are so serious because they don’t just destroy your epidermis, or outermost layer of skin, but they also penetrate down to the dermis, or underlying one, as well.

Skin that has been burned so severely will traditionally look swollen. It may become leathery or dry out or turn brown, yellow, white or black. It’s rare for a third-degree burn victim to experience any pain around where they’ve been hurt as it’s likely that their nerve endings have been damaged.

All third-degree burn victims should seek out medical attention immediately. What treatments a doctor prescribes will vary depending on the size of the burn, what caused it, where it’s located, a patient’s medical history and their pain tolerance.

Most patients will, at the very least, have their wound thoroughly cleaned and dead skin removed, be administered intravenous drugs and receive antibiotic creams and pain meds. They’ll be kept in a room that’s both warm and humid, be given a tetanus shot and will be fed a high-protein diet. Some patients may have to undergo both skin grafting and cosmetic surgery depending on where and how extensive their injuries are.

While many of us have suffered minor burns at home due to our own carelessness, the most severe ones often result from others’ negligence. They can happen in a car crash, from exposure to a chemical or electrical source, a defective product, an unsafe workplace or because of inadequate supervision of a child.

When serious burn injuries result from these types of incidents, you’ll want to choose an Augusta burn injury attorney with litigation experience to fight for your interests.