Choosing the right remedy for burns

Burnt yourself with a hot iron or scalded by a pan of boiling water? Don't worry: you don't necessarily need to go to hospital for a minor burn or scald, but there are some quick, simple remedies you can use, such as cooling the injury and disinfecting the damaged skin with an alcohol-free solution. And now it's important to know what immediate action to take to put yourself on the road to recovery.

If the burn is still hurting, use an ointment

To reduce the pain caused by the burn and speed up the healing process, you can treat it with analgesic, anti-inflammatory or antibiotic ointment, though you should use the latter only if recommended by a doctor. Apart from pharmaceutical products, there are also natural ointments based on aloe or calendula, for example, which are effective treatments for burns.

Adhesive bandages: a second skin

There are also dual-action adhesive bandages that protect the area around the burn against accidental impact and infection. These use a hydrogel pad lined with bandage fabric. The outside of a dual-action adhesive bandage acts as a second skin protecting the burn from the exterior, while the inner layer controls the level of humidity and absorbs excess fluid. The transparent film lets you see whether the burn is on the road to recovery without removing the bandage.

Cover the injury with a piece of cotton cloth

To dress a burn without adhesive bandages, you can cover it with a clean piece of damp cotton cloth or a sterile thick gauze bandage held in place with an adhesive bandage well away from the centre of the burn. Be careful not to exert too much pressure, and don't forget to protect the burn area from bacteria and other possible sources of infection.