Burns and Scalds: First Aid Treatment at Home

Burn First Aid, Step by Step

• radio_button_unchecked1. Stop the burning. Move away from the heat source. If clothing is on fire, use stop, drop, cover and roll. For a scald, get hot, wet clothing away from the skin quickly.
• radio_button_unchecked2. Cool the burn. Hold it under cool running water for 20 minutes. A tap, shower or hose is fine. Do not use ice or iced water.
• radio_button_unchecked3. Remove tight items. Take off rings, watches, bracelets, belts and any loose or soaked clothing near the burn before swelling sets in. Leave anything stuck to the skin alone.
• radio_button_unchecked4. Keep the person warm. Cooling one area is good; letting the whole body get cold is not, especially in children. Cover the rest of them with a blanket while you cool the burn.
• radio_button_unchecked5. Cover the burn. Once cooled, lay cling film loosely over the area, or use a clean non-fluffy dressing or a hydrogel dressing. Do not wrap tightly and do not use cotton wool.
• radio_button_unchecked6. Relieve pain. Paracetamol or ibuprofen at label doses helps most minor burns. Elevate the area if you can.
• radio_button_unchecked7. Get help if needed. Seek medical care for the burns described further down, and call 000 for anything large, deep or severe.

What NOT to Do to a Burn

Plenty of well-meaning home remedies do more harm than good. Some trap heat, some raise the risk of infection, and some make it harder for medical staff to assess the burn later. Skip all of the following.

• radio_button_uncheckedIce or iced water — too cold, can deepen the burn and damage healthy skin. Use cool running water only.
• radio_button_uncheckedButter, margarine, oil or lard — these seal in heat and offer no benefit.
• radio_button_uncheckedToothpaste — a common myth. It is not sterile, stings, and can irritate the wound.
• radio_button_uncheckedEgg white, flour, or other kitchen 'remedies' — no evidence, and an infection risk.
• radio_button_uncheckedLotions, creams or antiseptic ointments straight away — leave the burn bare until it is assessed if you are seeking care; they can interfere with the examination.
• radio_button_uncheckedBursting blisters — leave them intact. The skin over a blister is a natural barrier against infection.
• radio_button_uncheckedSticky dressings or cotton wool directly on the burn — fibres stick to the wound and are painful to remove.

How Bad Is It? Assessing Burn Severity

Burns are described by how deep they go into the skin. Depth affects how they heal and whether they need medical care. It can be hard to judge in the first few hours — burns can also 'evolve' and look worse a day or two later — so when in doubt, have it checked.

When You Can Treat a Burn at Home

Most minor burns and scalds — a splash from the kettle, a touch on the oven rack, mild sunburn — can be managed at home once you have done the 20 minutes of cool running water. Home care is reasonable when all of the following are true:

• radio_button_uncheckedThe burn is superficial: red and painful but not blistered, or with only a small, intact blister.
• radio_button_uncheckedIt is smaller than a 20-cent coin (adults) and not on a high-risk area.
• radio_button_uncheckedIt is not on the face, hands, feet, genitals, or over a major joint.
• radio_button_uncheckedThe person is a healthy older child or adult (not a baby, elderly, pregnant, or someone with diabetes or a weakened immune system).
• radio_button_uncheckedThere are no signs of infection and the pain is manageable with paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Hydrogel Dressings (Burnaid and Similar): What They Actually Do

Hydrogel burn products such as Burnaid gel and hydrogel dressings are widely sold in Australian pharmacies and carried by many paramedics. They are water-based gels, often with a little tea tree oil, that soothe and cool a burn and keep it moist while you get further help. They are genuinely useful — but it is important to understand their role.

• radio_button_uncheckedWhat they help with: cooling, pain relief, and keeping a minor burn moist and covered on the way to care.
• radio_button_uncheckedHandy where water is limited: cars, camping, worksites and sports bags — which is why they belong in a first aid kit.
• radio_button_uncheckedWhat they are not: they do not 'cure' a burn, and they do not make a deep or large burn safe to manage at home.
• radio_button_uncheckedBlisters and open burns: keep blisters intact; for anything more than a superficial burn, have it assessed rather than self-dressing.

Aftercare: Dressings, Blisters and Pain Relief

Once a minor burn is cooled and covered, a little day-to-day care helps it heal cleanly and lowers the risk of infection.

Dressing a minor burn

• radio_button_uncheckedCover loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing or a layer of cling film laid over the burn (do not wrap it tightly around a limb).
• radio_button_uncheckedChange the dressing if it gets wet, dirty or slips — a clean, dry, non-adherent dressing is ideal.
• radio_button_uncheckedKeep the area clean; wash gently with lukewarm water and pat dry. Ask your pharmacist which non-stick burn dressing suits the spot you are treating.
• radio_button_uncheckedWatch the burn over the next day or two, since burns can deepen and look worse before they look better.

Blister care

• radio_button_uncheckedLeave blisters intact — the skin on top protects against infection while the burn heals underneath.
• radio_button_uncheckedDo not deliberately burst a blister. If a large blister bursts on its own, keep the area clean and covered with a non-stick dressing.
• radio_button_uncheckedSee your pharmacist or GP if a blister is large, over a joint, or in an awkward spot — sometimes they need professional management.

Pain relief

Burns can hurt for a few days. Paracetamol or ibuprofen taken at the doses on the label manages the pain for most minor burns — see our paracetamol vs ibuprofen guide if you are unsure which to reach for. Ibuprofen can be a good option as it also helps with inflammation, but it is not suitable for everyone, so check with your pharmacist if you have stomach, kidney or asthma concerns. Keeping the burn covered and elevated also helps.

A Note on Sunburn

Sunburn is a burn too, and given Australia's UV levels it is one of the most common. Most sunburn is superficial: red, hot and tender but without blisters. Cool the skin with a cool shower or damp cloths, drink plenty of water, and use paracetamol or ibuprofen for the discomfort. A simple, fragrance-free moisturiser or an after-sun gel can soothe the skin. Treat blistered or widespread sunburn — or sunburn in a baby or young child — the same way you would any burn, and seek advice if it is severe. Prevention is far better than treatment; see our best sunscreen guide for choosing an SPF 50+ broad-spectrum product.

Kids and Scalds: Hot Drinks Are the Big One

Scalds from hot drinks, kettles, saucepans and bath water are one of the most common serious burns in Australian children — and a cup of tea or coffee is hot enough to scald a small child even 15 minutes after it is made. Children's skin is thinner than an adult's, so the same spill causes a deeper burn.

• radio_button_uncheckedKeep hot drinks, kettles and cords well back from bench edges and out of little hands' reach.
• radio_button_uncheckedNever hold a baby or child while you drink something hot or carry hot food.
• radio_button_uncheckedTurn saucepan handles to the back of the stove and use the rear hotplates.
• radio_button_uncheckedCheck bath water before your child gets in; run cold water first, then add hot, and aim for a comfortably warm temperature.
• radio_button_uncheckedStore kettles and hot appliances towards the back of the bench with short or coiled cords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you treat a burn at home?

Hold the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes, take off any rings, watches or tight clothing near the area before it swells, then cover it loosely with cling film or a clean non-stick dressing. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for the pain and leave any blisters intact. Do not use ice, butter or toothpaste. This works for minor, superficial burns — see a doctor for anything blistered, deep, larger than a 20-cent coin, or on the face, hands, feet or genitals.

How long should you run a burn under water?

Twenty minutes of cool (not icy) running water is the recommendation from Australian and New Zealand burns services. A quick rinse is not enough. It still does some good if you start within about three hours of the burn, so it is worth doing even if you were slow to react. Keep the rest of the body warm while you cool the burn, especially with children.

Should you put ice on a burn?

No. Ice and iced water are too cold and can deepen the burn and damage healthy skin around it. Use cool running water from a tap, shower or hose instead. The goal is to cool the burn gently, not to freeze it.

What is Burnaid and does it replace cooling with water?

Burnaid is a water-based hydrogel gel or dressing sold in Australian pharmacies that cools and soothes a burn and keeps it moist. It is handy in a first aid kit, especially where there is no running water. But it does not replace 20 minutes of cool running water — water is still the priority. Use a hydrogel after cooling, or as a stopgap when water is not available, and tell hospital staff if you have applied one.

Should I pop a burn blister?

No. Leave blisters intact. The skin on top acts as a natural barrier against infection while the burn heals underneath. If a blister bursts on its own, keep the area clean and cover it with a non-stick dressing. See your pharmacist or GP if a blister is large, over a joint, or looks like it may be getting infected.

When should a burn go to hospital?

Go to an emergency department or call 000 for any large or deep burn, a burn that is white, leathery, charred or numb, a burn that goes all the way around a limb, or any burn to the face, hands, feet or genitals. Also seek emergency care for chemical or electrical burns, burns from a fire in an enclosed space, or any sign of a burnt airway such as a hoarse voice or soot around the nose or mouth. Babies, young children, the elderly and people with diabetes should have even minor-looking burns checked.

How do I treat a child's scald from a hot drink?

Use the same first aid as for any burn: get the hot, wet clothing away from the skin quickly, then cool the area under cool running water for 20 minutes while keeping the rest of your child warm. Cover loosely and do not apply creams or home remedies. Because children's skin is thinner and their burns are deeper for their size, have any scald in a baby or young child seen by a doctor, even if it looks minor.