Burns Treatment: Home Remedies for Burns and Causes

A burn is nothing but damage to the body's tissues caused by heating/burning substances such as chemicals, electricity, sunlight and radiation. But most common causes for burns include scalds from hot liquids and steams, any kind of fires and flammable liquids or gases.

Thought they are same, but medically, burns are divided into three categories:-

The first-degree burns that damages only the outer layer of skin, the second-degree burns that damages the outer layer and the layer underneath and finally the third-degree burns that damage or destroy the innermost layer of skin and tissues present deeply into the skin
Any type of burn can cause swelling, blistering, scarring of the skin and in more severe cases, shock and death. Burns also can turn to infections as they damage the skin's protective barrier that works as a shield to protect skin from the infection.

Causes of Burns

Direct fire burn
Inflammable liquid or gas burn
Electricity burn
Chemical burns
Sunburns
Therapeutic burns (as in operation, laser etc)
Burns due to contact of skin to extreme hot materials like frying pan, oven’s grill etc

Home remedies for Burns

Note - The home remedies should only be tried when there is a first degree burn. Second and third degree burn requires immediate medical assistance with intravenous fluids and surgical treatments by Burns’ specialists.

Immediately wash with water – this is the first and foremost home remedy for any burn case.

One of the best home remedy for burns is applying honey on the burn area. Honey has healing property.

You can also put two tbsp of yogurt on the burn and wait for about fifteen minutes.

Some acupressure experts suggest that if you have burn in the tip of the finger, then you should hold your ear lob and you will feel no pain.

Another common home remedy for burns is putting egg whites on the affected area.

For immediate relief, home remedy for burns is to cut an onion and apply soon on the burning area.

One of the grandma’s home remedy for burns include soaking the burn in whole milk for 15 minutes.

Some of the ancient science’s proven home remedy for burns include Aloe Vera paste or gel on the burn every few hours. One can also mix with lavender oil.

You can also apply some dish washing detergent on the spot onto the burnt area, this gives relief immediately.

One should dab on pure essential lavender oil on the burnt area. Applying this will make pain dissipating within ten minutes. Depending on the severity of the burn, one should apply this several or few times a day. It will not leave a scar behind and it has also a good fragrance.

Having ripe papaya also makes it good home remedy treatment for burns. Papaya contains enzymes that aid in removing dead cells from the injured area and rejuvenating the skins by bringing new cells.