Will this burn leave a scar? Should I use a cream or oil? (Ugly) pic attached

[NutellaOnButteryToast]

Hello,

So about 4 days ago, I sat down with my second coffee (hot) and for some reason, decided to spill it all over my right leg It was bloody agony!

I was wearing PJs and this seemed to prolong the burn, as the fabric soaked up the scolding hot coffee and pushed it against my skin.

As soon as I could, I took them off and then put an ice pack on it for a good 45 minutes or so. I've now found out you shouldn't do that 😒 It blistered almost immediately, but as she can see in the photo, that has now gone down, but it's still very red and painful to touch and to walk. It's just above my knee towards the outside of my leg, so when I walk, it stretches it, so a very unfortunate place to burn yourself 🤦‍♀️

Anyway, is there anything I can use to avoid permanent scarring and or discolouration? Or is that it for getting my legs out in the summer?

I'm sure eventually I would embrace it - there are certainly worse things to get your head around, but my legs are one of the few features that I was happy with.

Anyway, any advice would be very much welcomed.

TIA

Ooops. Here it is

Actually that should have read, towards the inside of my leg

OMG that looks very painful.
I know protecting recent scars against sunlight (so protect it by covering it with clothes or wear SPF) is very important.
Also I heard using a cream that contains vitamin e can help.

I'm not a doctor but am someone who fell off a sofa and burnt the back of my hand on a cast iron fire - I know, I know!

The back of my hand was very badly burned and I had it treated at local hospital. Cream and bandage for weeks.

I just wanted to tell you that my burn was much worse to look at that yours and has healed completely ie new skin grew iykwim. Maybe ask a pharmacist what you can put on it? Hope it's ok.

Ouch I don't think that will scar badly it doesn't look particularly deep there's no sloughing (white bits showing) this link is helpful www.doc2us.com/treating-burn-injuries-the-right-way for understanding what bad burns look like. You'll need to be careful not to rub/ knock the scab.

It won't scar but getting some paraffin gauze, hydrocolloid dressing or tegaderm dressing will take the pain right away. Just need to make sure you get one that's large enough it's not pulling on the edges of it.

Thanks everyone

@Guardsman18, ouch! Glad to hear it's now healed.

Just spoke to a pharmacist and she said not to add any cream or oils whilst it's still healing, other than antiseptic.

@Sickoffamilydrama, I didn't know what sloughing was, so googled MY EYES!! 🤢

I have a specific burn gel I bought from boots last year when I burnt my leg (frying pan oil) and it’s great at soothing the area. I was just careful not to cover the area as the gel makes fabric want to stick to it. It healed up fine with not a mark left behind. I’ve added a photo for you to see the size and the redness to give you an idea. It looks similar to your burn.

This is the gel I used:

Burn Gel Boots

I touched the oven not long ago and I've never know a burn as bad, I've burned myself on the oven numerous times but this time was really bad for some reason.

Despite the burn only being about 3 cm long I had a red rash spread all over my arm. I was tracking it in case it was infected but it was just really damaged.

Antiseptic and absolutely nothing else until it's scabbed properly. Then I moisturise with that Palmers cocoa cream stuff.

Can hardly see it now.

@ThanksForAllTheFish, thank you.

@MaddieElla, I don't think it's going to scab over. It's just really red and painful. Part of it did blister and.....pop ( sorry) but that seems to have healed up. I think it's just the sheer redness that's bothering me. I can't imagine it going down. It just looks part of my skin iyswim?...

I had a burn like that from a hot water bottle that I didn't know was in my bed, it was on my stomach and blistered badly but never scabbed over or scarred.

I had quite bad burns on the backs of both my legs in my late teens , they blistered and swelled ( think elephantitis) and required hospital treatment for dressings initially . I then used a cream called flamazine on them and I’ve absolutely no scarring at all .

Should add you can also get gel dressings for burns which are really cooling .

It looks bloody painful, but no. I did the same thing (it was literally oozing 🤢) but it healed without leaving a trace.

Burn plasters are really good if you can get hold of some, I’ve bought them online and at pharmacy. They keep the burn cool and moist and definitely help it heal better in my experience. I’m forever burning myself on the oven racks....

As soon as I could, I took them off and then put an ice pack on it for a good 45 minutes or so. I've now found out you shouldn't do that

Sorry for a slight derail, but why was it the wrong thing to do? I've always understood that the first thing you do is put the burn under running cold water if possible, or if not use an improvised ice pack, to cool the area as fast as possible to prevent further damage.

@Feedingthebirds1, well yes, that's what I always thought, but apparently not. The pharmacist today said they actually advise to run the burn under cool to lukewarm water, which sounds ridiculous to me!

@NutellaOnButteryToast

Now we know...

www.burnvictimsresource.org/does-ice-help-burns/

www.nhs.uk/conditions/Burns-and-scalds/

I had a small burn that scarred because I scraped it when showering. Try and protect it as much as you can.

It will go bit it will take a long time. I have very similar on the inside of my upper arm and after about - maybe 4? - months it disappeared. It definitely got worse before it got better (blister, scab, purple blotch) and I was convinced I would have a permanent mark.

I also use the burn gel a lot at home (I was at work when I burned myself).

I’ve used pure aloe Vera gel on burns before. You definitely don’t want to put any creams or oils on it.

Best is to submerge your burn in cold water for as long as you can. I usually am wandering around with my hand in a long glass of iced water (I burn myself a lot when cooking!). The burn gel is a god send.

It won't necessarily take a long time. Mine didn't.

I think it depends where it is. Hands heal fast but soft bits take a bit longer.