What is the difference between a 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree burn?
There are 3 different degrees of burn: Superficial (1st degree), Partial thickness (2nd degree) & Full thickness (3rd degree). • Superficial or 1st Degree • burns only affect the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) • redness & swelling seen with sharp burning pain but skin will heal naturally leaving no scarring within a week or so. • Partial Thickness or 2nd Degree • both the outer layer (epidermis) and the under layer (dermal layer) are affected by the burn • blistering, redness & swelling and sever pain felt – with treatment often the skin can heal without skin grafts and can leave scarring. • Full Thickness or 3rd Degree • both the outer layer & under layer are totally destroyed and deeper tissue layers, muscles and even bone can be affected by the burn • skin can appear charred, white or black • pain on the burn site is often reduced as the nerve endings can be completely destroyed but the surrounding burn area is extremely painful. • the Burn site looses sensation and skin grafts
