To ask for burn remedies

[HerRoyalRisesAgain]

As I'm extremely clumsy I've managed to burn two fingers while making tea. I ran them under cool water immediately but they still hurt almost an hour later. Is there anything I can do? Or do I just have to suck up the pain for now until they stop hurting.

Bowl of cold water and change every ten minutes. You may need to keep doing this for a couple of hours.

Bravo Fangs!

I was sternly told off by a nurse in a burns unit when I said I'd put my quite badly scalded hand under running cold water. Apparently if there is more damage than you first realise, the action of the water can make it worse. Better, she said, is a bowl or basin or sink full of cold water, and when it starts to get warm add more cold water but not actually running it over the site of the burn.

I suppose that makes sense, though I think you might notice if your skin started to peel off because the water was hitting it too hard?

In the kitchen I do keep a small bottle of Boots emergency burn gel for finger-burns and scalds because I have found that it does stop the pain sooner than a basin of cold water does; also the skin seems to heal more quickly afterwards. (Yes, I have tried both on similar small wounds!) It is strongly suggested that at some point when you don't have a burn, you do an allergy test with it; if it makes your skin go red or itch or swell, then it is definitely not for you.

Any burn or scald larger than the area of a postage stamp should get medical attention as soon as possible.

And anyone who puts anything other than cold water or a medication specifically intended and sold for the treatment of minor burns onto a burn is probably being silly.