Contrary to the common practice of rubbing ice or applying toothpaste, it is best to keep the affected burned area under running water until the pain subsides.
This is the best thing to do in case of burns, experts said at the WOUNDCON 2024 medical education event, organized by the Society for Wound Care and Research at King George’s Medical University (KGMU).
According to Professor Brijesh Mishra, a faculty member at the department of plastic surgery at KGMU, rubbing ice and applying toothpaste or oil on a burn may seem like common remedies, but they can actually do more harm than good.
“Ice can freeze the skin and stop blood flow, while toothpaste has harsh substances like calcium and mint that can make burns worse, and oil traps heat, making burns harder to cool,” he explained. Mishra, warning that these methods increase the risk of infection.
Head of plastic surgery department at KGMU, Professor Vijay Verma, advised: “The best way is to rinse the affected person with running water, cover him with clean bedding and seek medical help immediately in case of severe burns. Increasing hydration and protein intake is crucial to healing damaged skin, muscles, and tissues. For electrical burns, apply a sterile bandage or clean cloth; “Avoid blankets or towels to prevent the fibers from sticking to the burned skin.”
Dr KS Murthy, another plastic surgeon, highlighted the effectiveness of fish skin products in healing burn wounds. “Fish skin products rich in omega fats and collagen fatty acids are now available in purified forms. They show promising results when applied to wounds,” he added.
This story comes from a syndicated feed from third party agencies. DailyNewsHype accepts no responsibility for the reliability, reliability and data of the text. DailyNewsHype Management/DailyNewsHype.com reserves the exclusive right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content at its sole discretion for any reason.