Emergency and Urgent Care - Minor Burns and Scalds

This leaflet contains discharge advice following your attendance to the Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) or Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC).

You have been treated for a minor burn or scald. If you need to return for further treatment, you will be advised.

Burns to the body, arms or legs

Burns in these areas are treated with special dressings which are designed to stop infections getting into the body.

You should:

• Keep the dressing clean and dry
• Take painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen if necessary. Stronger painkillers such as codeine may be needed. You can ask about these while you are in the Emergency Department or at a pharmacy
• Keep the burnt area up in the air as much as possible
• Keep moving any joints near the burn to reduce stiffness

Burns to the hands and feet

The general advice for these burns is the same as for burns to the body, arms or legs (see above). Occasionally we treat burns to the hands and feet by covering them in a special antiseptic cream and putting them in a sealed plastic bag.

This will allow you to keep moving your fingers and toes. Don’t worry if the skin appears soggy or white inside the bag – this will get better quickly after the bag is removed.

Burns to the face

Burns to the face are usually left open. You may have been given cream to apply to keep the skin moist while it heals. Petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) can also be used for this. You should apply it 4 times a day until the burn has healed.

You should:

• Wash your face once a day with water
• DO NOT use perfumed soap
• Avoid aftershave
• Avoid cosmetics and face creams

What to look out for

You should contact/return to the A&E Department/ UTC you attended or visit your GP if any of the following occur:

• Your dressing gets wet or falls off
• The plastic bag on a burnt hand or foot fills with liquid
• You feel ill, have a high temperature or develop a rash
• The burn becomes swollen
• The burn becomes more painful
• The area of redness around the burn gets bigger

Later on

Although the skin may appear discoloured for several months your burn should be healed over within about 10 days. Please arrange to see your GP if the burn has not healed over after this time. The healed skin will probably be sensitive to sunlight for several months after a burn. You should always cover it up or use a high strength sun block if you are exposed to strong sunlight or a sun lamp within this time.

Tetanus

Tetanus is a serious infection which can occasionally get into the body via a wound. It can be prevented by a series of injections.

You are covered against tetanus and do not need a booster today: Yes/No

You have received a booster injection against tetanus today. The same injection also protects you against diphtheria and polio.

You should inform your GP of this: Yes/No

A&E Department:

Fairfield General Hospital - 0161 778 2600