How To Prevent Scarring After a Burn Injury
Bill Allen | July 31, 2024 | Personal Injury
Accidents and injuries happen every day, but burn injuries are among the most painful a person can suffer. Treatment can also be incredibly painful, and burns may cause lasting harm, like nerve damage and scarring, depending on the severity of the injury.
If you’re injured in an accident that results in burns, you need immediate treatment to minimize damage and prevent scarring. What are the different types of burns you could endure, and what can you do to avoid painful and lasting scars?
How Do Burn Injuries Occur?
Each year, roughly 450,000 people suffer burn injuries that require medical treatment, with about 30,000 severe enough to merit admission to a burn unit for care. There are several different types of burn injuries, including those related to heat and flames, electricity, chemicals, UV rays, and radiation.
Thermal burns, or those caused by heat, are the most common, accounting for about 86% of burn injuries. This type of burn may be related to exposure to fire/flames, scalding steam or water, or hot objects. Electrical burns account for about 4%, chemical burns constitute 3%, and other types of burns make up 7% of burn injuries.
Different Levels of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries are separated into three main categories: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree. 1st-degree burns are superficial, which means they affect the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), causing symptoms like pain, redness, and swelling.
2nd-degree burns go beyond the epidermis to affect the underlying dermis, leading to symptoms like pain, redness, and blistering.
3rd-degree burns are even more severe, impacting the deeper layers of fat and damaging hair follicles, sweat glands, and nerve endings. You may not feel pain (due to nerve damage), but your skin could turn leathery and discolored (red, black, or white).
Minor burns are categorized as 1st-degree burns anywhere on the body or 2nd-degree burns that are less than two to three inches in size. Major burns include 3rd-degree burns and 2nd-degree burns that are larger than two to three inches or that affect sensitive areas like the face, hands, feet, groin, buttocks, or major joint sites.
Preventing Permanent Damage
Minor burns can often be treated at home by soaking in cool water or applying a cool compress to the affected area, covering it with a dry, clean bandage, and taking over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Applying aloe can help soothe and heal the area. Scarring is unlikely with first-degree or minor second-degree burns.
Major burns require immediate medical attention and could lead to significant scarring, depending on a range of factors. If you’ve suffered 2nd-degree burn scars (or even 3rd-degree burns, in some cases) and you want to minimize their appearance, there are several options to explore.
Stretching and massage as the scar heals can help with pain and mobility issues, but to prevent significant scarring, custom pressure garments are the most common treatment.
Medical-grade silicone gel sheets can also help to keep the area moist and aid healing, especially when used in combination with pressure garments. Laser treatments are another option to discuss with medical professionals.
Getting Compensation For Burn Injuries in Florida
If another person or entity is to blame for your burns due to negligent or malicious behavior, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. A settlement in a personal injury case could include coverage for economic damages like medical bills and lost wages, as well as non-economic damages like pain and suffering and loss of companionship.
If you’ve suffered a painful burn, getting the compensation you deserve can help pay for treatments needed to heal and prevent scarring.
Contact Our Ocala Personal Injury Law Firm in North Central Florida
If you need legal assistance, contact the Ocala burn accident lawyers at Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We have three convenient locations in North Central Florida:
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Gainesville office
2550 SW 76th St #150
Gainesville, FL 32608
(877) 255-3652
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Downtown Gainesville
621 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL 32601
(866) 928-6292
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Ocala Office
112 S Pine Ave
Ocala, FL 34471
(352) 351-3258
