The burn is a more or less deep destruction of the skin, resulting from contact with a more common heat source, or contact with a caustic substance, electricity, etc.

There are many types of burns, they can be more or less serious depending on the area of ​​skin burned or the duration of contact with the heat source.

Burns on contact with heat

These are the most frequent forms. This type of burn can be responsible for superficial or deep lesions.

They result from skin contact with a flame, hot liquid or hot metal. The magnitude of thermal burn is directly proportional to the temperature of the causative agent and the duration of contact. This time is often long for thick liquids such as oil or metals which tend to stick to the skin and therefore cause the most severe thermal burns.

Electricity burns

1 – Electric arc burns

These are thermal burns of the skin.

To understand electric arc burns, consider the example of a person riding a train car. There is an extremely large potential difference between the catenary and the wagon and the person will by his presence trigger an electric arc which will pass through his skin.

Electric arc burns are therefore observed when there is an extremely large potential difference between 2 points. A person positioning himself between these 2 points of different potential will trigger an electric arc. A real lightning will travel between these 2 points passing through the body of this person, and burn his skin.

2- True electric burns

These burns pass through the person’s body. They are said to correspond to an intracorporeal passage of electric current which travels for reasons of electrical conduction, first along the vessels and nerves, always passing through the heart.

There are thus risks of heart rhythm disturbance (often a type of ventricular fibrillation) and nerve destruction or the phenomenon of thrombosis vascular often responsible for amputations due to these vascular nerve destruction.

Chemical burns

They are often serious : the chemical will enter the body and create damage.

1 – Acid burns (sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, etc.)

These burns are extremely painful and the destruction spreads from the surface of the skin to the depths quickly.

2 – Burns by bases (cement, etc.)

They cause destruction delayed in time: superficial lesions appear only secondarily, often even after deep destruction.

Radiation burns

The best known is the coup de soleil. There are also ionizing ray burns such as radiodermatitis after radiotherapy.

Burns are usually classified into three degrees corresponding to the level of destruction of skin tissue.

First degree burns

They are recognized by the presence of a red and painful plaque, such as “sunburn”, which heals in 48 to 72 hours.

These lesions are of concern only if they are extensive, especially in small children, which can cause dehydration.

Second degree burns

They are recognized by the presence of blisters on the skin, or phlyctene.

Under the blister, the skin may turn crimson red (because it remains vascularized) if the burn is superficial. In this case, the burn heals spontaneously between 1 week and 10 days. If the skin has turned white, it is necessary to use the surgery to heal the burn.

Third degree burns

The burns appear as hard, painless patches because all the nerve endings have been destroyed. 

Treat a 1st degree burn

Pain management by paracetamol and placement of fatty dressings (Jelonet®, Adaptic®, Tulle gras, etc.) under a band. The dressing is removed after 2-3 days and there is healing with desquamation, ie the skin peels like after a sunburn.

Treat a 2nd degree burn

Bladder excision (phlycten) and rinsing with saline or non-alcoholic antiseptics (Chlorexidine…)

Application of a fatty dressing (Jelonet®, Adaptic®, Tulle gras, etc.) under a band, to be renewed every 48 to 72 hours

Any unhealed burn beyond day 21 should be managed surgically.

Treat a 3nd degree burn

Management is surgical : cleansing of the wound (cleansing) followed by grafts of healthy skin taken from the burn victim in an unaffected area.