Feeling v anxious - spilt hot water over bum/back of thighs

[Psm92]

Sat down with a boiling cup of herbal tea and it spilt onto the sofa, going over back of thighs and bum. Was wearing PJs so ran upstairs and took them off and then got in cold shower for a bit. Stings a tiny bit but worried about tomorrow. Will call gp in morning. It literally touched my skin for a second but v worried. Reassurance please. Scary stories online.

What exactly are you worried about? If it's a serious burn you need to go to A&E, if it just stings a bit, you don't really need to do anything.

Op I think as it went to sof first it will be fine.
Stingy a little should be ok. Hot red and nothing more.
Obviously check if you can

I assumed that the pain I feel.now (only v mild) isn't necessarily indicative of how serious it is or how bad it might be tomorrow. It was boiling hot water and quite a large area and in a sensitive area...

I have spilt boiling hot tea with no milk on the top of my thighs before. I had a scald but it was a sore red patch for a week or so but no worse. No blisters or anything. Check in a mirror but unless you feel that the skin is damaged to the point of blistering or the pain is intense, you will probably be ok. Aloe Vera gel is safe for burns and scalds and feels very soothing, especially if you keep it in the fridge.

I had boiling water poured over my lap/thigh (an accident) and I'm not going to lie it hurt like hell. However, I basically kept it as cold as I could to take the heat out (put stuff from the freezer on it, wrapped in a tea towel, and/or literally just flapped it to get cool air on it) It was a bit sore by the evening and by the next day no pain but looked angry.

Why do you think you would have a serious burn but not feel much pain?
Thats quite unlikely, the mild pain is almost certainly an indication of how mild the burn is.

It will be fine.

I’ve split boiling hot drinks before and haven’t given it a thought past “that hurt, I’ll get changed and put something cold on it”. Unless there is some backstory I wouldn’t think of speaking to the GP

Scalding yourself will be as bad as it'll be when you first getting scalded.

I would worry. Area will probably feel sensitive but no more than it does now.

By going in the cold shower you have likely prevented the burn from continuing to cause damage. I seriously burnt myself a while ago with boiling water and it was agony all night, sore and blistered for about a week, got a bit infected and then after about three weeks very itchy. NHS did not want to know. I was given a video call and told it would sort itself out. It did.

I was advised not to put anything from the freezer on it nor anything like fabric that could stick to it. I was told to make sure the area was clear and cover it with cling film to keep it that way. After the slight infection I put lots of savlon on it and recovered with fresh cling film.

What are they bad stories you're reading?

It doesn't sound like it will be too bad. You got in the shower quickly, and also it won't have been absolutely boiling by the time it got on your legs - the water had to heat the cup, for one thing.

YABU op you are fine.

It won't have been boiling as it would be cooling from the time you poured it, allowed the bag to diffuse and carried it to the sofa, plus it was onto your clothes first before your skin. It may scald and be sore but you have done the right things and it is unlikely you would need a doctor, obviously assess in the morning but it is unlikely.

You are fine. Happens all the time.

Not necessarily true. A very serious burn could damage the nerves = less pain. However OP in this instance I truly think you’ll be ok. I have done this a handful of times and been sore but fine.

If the skin is not blistered, and your pjs did not stick to it, you will be ok. It may be a bit sore/stiff but you have avoided a nasty scald.

I've poured a whole pan of boiling pasta water down my leg and onto my hand. Leg was fine, hand blistered like a motherfucker. Two A&E visits for it. Took nearly a month to heal and was just on the cusp of being serious.
I think your leg and bum will be fine. A hot drink will have come down in temperature. If you blister overnight get it seen to in the morning

I think you'll be fine, it went through clothes first and you cooled it quickly.

FYI: General recommendations for burn first aid

Cool the area with running cold water.
If you can't keep it under running water, keep it in a bowl of water replacing water regularly.

With sunburn (and potentially a scald) you can layer wet tea towels over the area to keep it cool. - Careful it's not an open wound that fabrics can stick to though.

Wrap the area with cling film - this prevents air getting to the burn which causes pain and prevents fabrics sticking to the wound whilst keeping the area as sterile as possible.

Don't apply any lotions or potions to the area. You can get specific burn cream but you have to be careful with anything else and check the wound is not blistered or open before using burn cream.

Thanks all - appreciate the advice and am feeling somewhat reassured. Off to bed now and will reassess in the morning but hopefully should be fine. I know it doesn't sound super dramatic but I do struggle with health anxiety, plus have an underlying chronic medical condition which makes stuff on top of that quire stressful/fatiguing to deal with. Thanks all - really appreciate the reassurance.

Burns don’t tend to keep their seriousness secret. If it was bad it would hurt now a lot. I tipped a newly poured cup of tea down my thighs in pjs and it killed. I had to stay in a freezing shower and my legs were bright red. You’ll be fine honestly.