burnt my finger with hot oil--scarring question added

[**guest**]

earlier today i splashed some very hot, close to boiling, oil on my hand while cooking, and have an area the size of a penny where the skin is completely gone. i only have polysporin / neosporin or something. i applied it right away, then lightly covered with gauze.

tonight i felt throbbing pain, so i thought maybe i needed to change the bandage, and it was stuck to my skin (lack thereof) and i managed to remove it while holding my finger under cold water. the dead skin is all bunched up on one side.

i put more polysporin, and put another gauze pad, but i am so worried it will get infected, as it will get stuck again, and how do i remove that?

how would you care for a burn like this? is this something i need to go to a dr for?

(i don't have access to homeopathic remedies, and the only way for me to see a dr would require a wait of 2-3 hours with the kids in the er)

[Beth-TX]

That sounds so painful! I'm so sorry!

The only thing I can think of is to wash it gently with soap and water, then apply a gel burn bandage to it. You can get some at the drug store--it's basically a sheet of some kind of gel that you apply directly to the burn. It cools it and keeps it moist and protected. And just keep an eye on it. If it seems to get worse, I'd go see a doctor. Often the minor emergency clinics have a shorter waiting time, especially in the mornings.

peace, Beth

[**guest**]

thanks. this gel burn bandage would not stick, right? i am going to the pharmacy tomorrow.

we are in a small town up north, we only have one place to go -- the hospital. whenever i went, the wait was brutal, and dh is leaving for a week tomorrow so no one to leave the kids with.

i hope the pharmacy had this gel thing. our pharmacy isn't stocked very well.

do you think it will heal if i need to tear the bandage away every time i reapply the cream? how often would you reapply?

Originally Posted by Beth-TX

That sounds so painful! I'm so sorry!

The only thing I can think of is to wash it gently with soap and water, then apply a gel burn bandage to it. You can get some at the drug store--it's basically a sheet of some kind of gel that you apply directly to the burn. It cools it and keeps it moist and protected. And just keep an eye on it. If it seems to get worse, I'd go see a doctor. Often the minor emergency clinics have a shorter waiting time, especially in the mornings.

peace, Beth

[living_organic]

If you are still nursing try breastmilk....worked great for me...heard about it here. I just sqirted it right on & let it air dry...no more pain...mine was a minor burn & not from oil but it's worth a shot...for me the pain stopped after a few minutes, when it was nearlt dry. HTH!

[**guest**]

Originally Posted by living_organic

If you are still nursing try breastmilk....worked great for me...heard about it here. I just sqirted it right on & let it air dry...no more pain...mine was a minor burn & not from oil but it's worth a shot...for me the pain stopped after a few minutes, when it was nearlt dry. HTH!

thanks! i thought about that, but was worried to leave the area exposed. i will try tomorrow.

[simplehome]

I had a burn like that a few years ago---it was the size of a nickel, and the resulting blister was half as high. Man did that hurt!

If the skin hasn't broken the best thing you can do for it is to leave it open to the air and not pick AT ALL. This was so hard for me because I am a serious picker. Once the skin opens on its own (for me it was a week, then it burst---yuck), then apply some neosporin-type stuff to keep it from becoming infected and apply a bandage if you can stand it. But until then just let your body do the work, and try to leave it alone.

I have no scar at all from this awful burn---I hope your pain doesn't last long, and that the marks are minimal!

[Saundra]

YOGURT! I learned this burn remedy when I lived in Egypt. I had a steam burn on my arm and my Egyptian friend grabbed the yogurt and put it on my arm. In less than 24 hours, the burn was healed. No pain, no scar. The cool yogurt is so soothing, and it actually heals the burn. Reapply the yogurt as often as needed for relief.

[**guest**]

Originally Posted by Saundra

YOGURT! I learned this burn remedy when I lived in Egypt. I had a steam burn on my arm and my Egyptian friend grabbed the yogurt and put it on my arm. In less than 24 hours, the burn was healed. No pain, no scar. The cool yogurt is so soothing, and it actually heals the burn. Reapply the yogurt as often as needed for relief.

yogurt works great for sunburn too! would you put it in an open wound, though?

[MamaMamaMama!]

Aloe vera is very good for burns if you have any around--the best is a leaf directly from the plant, just take off the outer peel. Good luck; it sounds really painful.

[momto l&a]

you need to put lavender oil or raw honey (the darker the better) on the burn.

Both of those are incredible at healing burns.

[CarrieMF]

If gauze or a bandaid type thing gets stuck to it again, soak it and it'll loosen up and come off easier without ripping where it is healing.

[**guest**]

thank you for responses, everyone. when i changed it the second time it stuck a bit less, and i hope it will be easier each time. i squirted breasmilk on it and let it air-dry a bit, but then had to bandage again, as the kids were climbing on me

those who say yogurt, raw honey, aloevera -- all of these can be applied where the skin is gone? i don't have any of it now, and can't buy any locally (well, except yogurt ) but i'd like to know for the 'next time'.

[momto l&a]

Honey can be applied to where the skin is gone.

Its perfect for burns.

Do a google search if your bored

[cristinaoketch]

well, its too late for my remedy, but for next time.....

pee on it, it works every time. my dh is from Uganda, i picked it up from him, and it hasnt failed me yet if done immediatley, it will prevent a blister

and if you have a rabbit, you can puncture the blister and put the hair on the wound and it will heal faster

i'm not making this up

[spero]

PEE ON AN OPEN WOUND?????????

ooowwwwwwwwwwwww

[cristinaoketch]

you dont pee on it once you bust the blister, you pee on it when its just been burnt, no wound yet!!!

you put the rabbit hair on the open wound, duh!

[**guest**]

Originally Posted by cristinaoketch

you dont pee on it once you bust the blister, you pee on it when its just been burnt, no wound yet!!!

you put the rabbit hair on the open wound, duh!

i heard about the peeing, actually. this is common knowledge in russia

BUT my blister opened instanteneously--i yelled, i watched the flames jump up on the stove, i looked at my hand -- the skin was gone.

and i don't think i could have peed under pressure.

[**guest**]

update -- not doing well

okay, the gauze peeling thing is not doing well at all. i had it on for the whole day, no pain. then felt throbbing pain, decided to change. i held my finger under water for 20 minutes. nothing. then i just peeled it off. :

i am not understanding how this will heal if i need to peel it off every time. the skin (where there is no skin) is red and not happy.

i think if i could leave it open, and squirt breast milk onto it... but i'm not able to prevent my kids from running around, and potentially touching it. ouch.

and i think my second finger will blister soon. it was only red and raised before, but now the skin is looking funny, like it is separating.

okay, what do i do if i can't get these burn gel things that don't stick?

will a dr be able to do something different from what i am doing?

thanks

[riverundine]

organic ghee is AMAZING at completely healing burns - even third degree - apply at least 2x/day

[pixiesmommy]

Do you have a Walmart or Home Depot or someplace that sells plants? You could buy an aloe plant there and put gel on it from the leaf. I keep one in my kitchen for burns.

How about trying to put the gauze on it where it won't stick to the burn.....
Like maybe putting gauze in really thick layers AROUND the burn and then layering a piece on top of it so it is still protecting it, but there is an air pocket in between?

Like _ ______ _ if that makes any sense??
....._ burn _

OR if you have something like a small lid (a screw-on juice lid or something- a concave one, not something flat) you could punch holes in it and put that over top of it and tape it loosely so the kids aren't bumping the actual BURN and it's able to get some air??

Just some random thoughts!!! Hope it feels better- burns hurt!
'Manda