What a difference a few weeks makes in the weather; less than a month ago we had several inches of snow. The past 2 or 3 days we have had 80 degree plus days. As someone said about western Pennsylvania weather, you have to love it or move. With days like this you suddenly have a rash of reports of the new seasonal problem, especially with younger people — Sun Burns or to be more honest First degree Burns. Yes, this is the first of three articles on Burns. I want to cover first, second and third degree burns, treatment and prevention. So, let’s get started with First Degree burns.
First degree burns are the mildest of Burns. You usually get them from, of course, the sun and very mild thermal burns. Now to define terms, thermal burns are from heat as in touching something hot, like a curling iron or stove burner; they also cause “Scalds “ which are from Hot liquids and from contact with open flames. Sunburns are burns from an object radiating energy. This does not mean you have been exposed to radiation as in nuclear power; you can get them from the sun, welding or even strong lights (can you say falling asleep in a tanning bed?). Other burn types are Electrical and Chemical. We are going to leave Electrical and Chemical burns for another time. Be advised a sunburn and a thermal burn and a scald are all still burns. A First degree burn shows redness and minor swelling to the area burned. They are not generally life threatening, but they can be very painful and often cover large areas, especially sunburns, and can cause disabling illness (nausea, pain, and flu-like symptoms) and can ruin your camping trip, because they usually last up to a week. Think about it, who wants to do anything when you can’t sit down and feel like you are going to lose your lunch?
So, what can you do about a First Degree burn? Well, first thing is to get away from what caused the burn, if it was the sun … Get in the shade. Cool the area, a cool shower is good. Then topical pain relievers that have a “Caine” base (if you are not allergic to them) as in, lidocaine or benzocaine, will help control the pain. Also, Aloe based gels or moisturizers help with the pain and help restore the skin. Please drink fluids and stay hydrated — Gatorade works very well. Please to not cover the burn with oil based ointments or butter like the old folk remedies , they may cause more harm than help and may do more damage than help.
But the best thing you can do is not to get the burn in the first place. With sunburns, I am sure you have a good idea of what to do. Wear sun screen SPF (sun or solar protection factor) of at least 15 on all exposed portions of the body. If the sun is intense, loose long clothing and hats are good too. Stay out of the direct sunlight and drink plenty of fluids. Be advised, it is easier to get sunburned at higher elevations than it is at lower elevations. So, if you are going to be camping at say Yellowstone, be aware you can get a sunburn at any time of the year.
Thermal burns are often the hardest to avoid. They usually happen when you grab something without thinking. Of course, you drop it, but, by then, the damage is done. Immediately, running cool clean water over the burn will limit the damage done. Again topical pain relievers and aloe and fluids will help.
Now about a special type of Thermal burns, Scalds. A scald from hot liquids can be hard to prevent in most cases. Like, if you drop a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate in your lap, you can scald things you don’t want to think about. Again, the cool, clean water is the best place to start and then treat just like other thermal burns. But one of the most common scalds is very easily prevented. Many people keep their hot water heater set too high so they have “Lots of Hot water”. Anything over about 115 degrees is too hot, and, to be honest, 120 is starting to be downright dangerous, especially if you have very old or very young people who don’t react as fast as the rest of us can. Do everyone a favor and turn the heat in your water heater down to 110 to 115 at the most, and you will save everyone from accidental scalds. See, I told you that I nag; I don’t lie! But I do nag for a reason — your safety.
Be aware of what can cause First degree burns and please make sure you have the proper items in your camper first aid kit for the care and treatment for these burns, and in doing so, you may prevent a ruined Camping trip in your future.
Your Obedient Servant,
Gary Smith, Jr.