Burns, remind me, keep covered or uncovered ??

[IllegallyBrunette]

I burnt my arm on the cooker last night and it seemed ok until this morning when I forgot about it and knocked the skin off the burn.

It is now very red and weepy, and hurts quite a bit.

Should I put anything on it or leave the air to get to it ?

When DD was little she badly burnt her hand , the hospital put a melonin dressing on it, then wrapped it with a bandage.
You can get the melonin dressing from a chemist.

have you been able to get to a chemist?how is your arm now. these are good productsBoots Melolin Wound Dressing and hydrocolloid dressing

i keep stocked up on all this stuff "just in case"

clingfilm good plan

I think the main prob with burns (and open wounds) is infection so keep it covered until it starts healing

I burned my hand on the oven too. I keep a can of spray plaster stuff which disinfects as well as protects. So far I have got away without an infection, but am keeping an eye on it.

Right, am on an MN break but had to reply and ask for more advice.

I went to chemist today. Lady behind the counter (sales assistants i suppose), said to not put anything on it but dress it with the Melolin dressing mentioned below.

Just as she went to get them, the pharmacist comes over and says that in his opinion I shouldn't dress it at all, but apply burn cream and suggested Acriflex.

I wasn't sure what to do then, but thought really he was the more qualified to say so I brought the cream.

I have applied it and it has left a yellow film across the burn, but it is still really really sore, and the skin around the burn is also red now.
The cream has stopped the weeping for now, but it did start again when i managed to knock a bit of the cream off.

Do I leave the dried cream on it and apply more ?? Or do I not apply cream again and seek further advice tommorow ??

For a small burn it is being really troublesome.

Hi nutty. I have a tube of savlon healing cream here, says for superficial burns and minor wounds.
Is really magic stuff, about 3.50 a tube.
Not sure what you should do now

Oh I might ave some Savlon hiding somewhere, Will go look.

Trouble is I am not sure wether putting cream on is making it worse.

NHS direct site says don't cover, but also says don't apply cream.

The skin around it is warm and red which it shouldn't be should it ?

Can't find the Savlon.

no, you need to cool it. STOP!!! this is salon HEALING cream, new stuff different from normal.
Tho i think if you read normal savlon it mentions burns too but please check.
You are meant to run it under water for 10 mins, did you when you first did it? Sorry skimmed thread.

cling film is excellent for covering burns as this does not stick and keeps the moisture in the wound to stop it drying out. the best honey to use is manuka honey from New zealand, great healing properties and you can now buy manuke honey impregnated dressings, especially good for boils, blisters and leg ulcers. I would not use honey though till much later unless the wound was small and minor. I always keep an aloe plant in my kitchen for things like this, if I burn myself, I break a stem off and rub (gently) the weeping juice from the stem over the wound. if it is stinging, that is a good sign as it means the nerve endings are not damaged beyound repair. I have always been taught to clean and cool burns by running water for a period of time to suit the size and severity of the burn, then cover with cling film if needed and get to a doctor or hospital if bad enough

this new savlon stuff says it keeps moisture in. Get the cling film back on it. cover your whole arm and maybe a cold flannel over the top, chilling it without touching it?

just seen the newer posts, if the surrounding skin is warm and red it can be a sign of infection. if it still hurts and the redness not diminished by the morning, go to A+e

I didn't really cool it under water no, well only for a fews seconds if that. I was to busy worrying about the dinner LOL.

I have no honey so can't do that unfortunatly.

I did have it wrapped in clingfilm yesterday and last night but tbh that just seemed to make it more weepy.

not sure what the weepy is, but my random postings will keep this bumped.
Agree a and e if its not betterish in the morn.

Yes I didn't think it being red around the burn, and being warm was a good thing.

If it is no better by morning, is A&E best or would the doctors surgery do ?? A&E is nearer but I'd feel like I was wasting their time as it is only a small burn.

It does look alot drier now this cream has dried on top of it, so I suppose that is good.

Good Good. Burns are nasty. And that bit of your arm is quite soft, not hard skin or used to sun etc.

Try not to bash it.

if you can get into the doctor's then fine, if you have to wait another day go to A&E/casualty. You aren't wasting their time, it sounds like it might have a bit of infection so it needs to be dressed properly and treated asap.

Acriflex is good for minor burns, better than normal Savlon anyway.

Lavender oil is also good for burns but not on broken skin - however it might be a good idea to get some in if you plan on a repeat performance at any stage!

Will try not to, although I do keep forgetting about it.

Was hilarious trying to wash my hair one handed this morning.

Right, off to bed now, ta for advice, will update tommorow

LOL @ repeat performance

Tbh this isn't the first time I have done it, but i've never then also knocked the skin off it, which i think is where the problems began with this one.

If it is no better or worse tomorow then I will either go to docs or a&e.

Just ram your head in the sinkful of water and wiggle your head about

LOL

Hope tis better in the morn.

Clear fluid and slight reddening around the edges is a sign of healing. However if it starts to itch, any discharge is pus like or it swells then you need additional treatment.

If you use clingfilm to cover it, use some folded into a pad over the area rather than wrapping around your arm. Keep it uncovered for a good few hours each day though if you can.

Warmth in the immediate area of the burn is also normal, especially if you irritate it by knocking it or going near a heat source. This is more noticeable if you didn't rapidly cool the area at the time of the accident.

I would be inclined not to use too many creams or potions at this stage.

One thing - is it below your elbow or is any of it actually on the joint? If it is an area that flexes when you move your elbow then you must get it checked by your doctor. If the skin heals incorrectly it could cause problems in the future.

Voice of experience btw - DH had massive burns years ago.

Thanks SG, it looked a bit better this morning and the redness had gone down.

I reapplied the Acriflex and it has again dried over the burn. However the area around the burn has now gone red and warm again, and my mum said it looked a bit swollen to her, but i am not sure if that is because i'd been sat with my arm up whilst at my mums ??

The pain is worse if I have been sat with my arm up (which I have to do to stop knocking it), and then I get up and move about. The burn then throbs and the skin around it goes very warm and red.

Should the skin around the burn be sore too ??

Oh it is below elbow joint by the way.

the only proper assessment is a face to face examination of the burn.put your mind at ease,can you get to a gp (surgery or request Home Visit) or minor injury clinic/A&E asap

heat
swelling
redness
pain
May be infection.get it assessed

the immediate burn area will be sore - yes.but if you feel no improvement, and note swelling do get it checked out asap