Is a straightener burn a third degree burn?

Answer 1

I just got a burn from a straightener that I thought was off, on my index finger, about an inch long with blistering, and am online researching. According to what I read under 'first aid for burns", medical professionals treat any burn with blisters as serious because it's difficult to tell the difference from 2nd and 3rd degree burns since both have blistering of the outer layer of skin. 2nd degree means destruction of the outer layer (epidermis) and there is blistering and possibly redness. 3rd degree goes deeper with destruction of the dermis and possibly nerves (patient wouldn't necessarily feel anything) and there can be blackening, though not necessarily.

I think it would be determined by how long your skin was in contact with the heat and how big a surface area was in contact.

If you think it might be third degree, get medical help IMMEDIATELY. (Larger areas or burns like whole fingers, hands or feet or around arms or legs or neck (obviously not straightener burns) can swell and cause constriction that dangerously cuts off blood flow to the limb, or prevents breathing. Obviously large burns of any type require emergency medical treatment by a professional!)

Recommended treatment I found online: (a) immediately running cold water over the burned area to remove the heat; do NOT use oil or butter! the old wives remedy; (b) I iced it for more cooling and pain relief though I didn't see this advised; (c) bandage it and (d) when the blister pops and skin separates, use antibiotic ointment and keep clean and loosely covered to keep it from getting infected til it heals. (e) After it heals for the next month, use sunscreen on the new skin, plus Mederma to help minimize scarring.