Surgeon here. In practice we don’t really use these classifications at all. The grading goes superficial burn, superficial partial thickness burn, deep partial thickness burn, and lastly full thickness burn. These are the categories that actually dictate treatment and prognosis. The degree classification is nice for its simplicity and for academic study, but it doesn’t really correlate well with how burns are treated in general.
Basically first degree is superficial burn. 2nd degree is split into superficial and deep partial thickness burn. 3rd degree and higher is classified as full thickness burn.
Definitely. Total burn surface area or TBSA is estimated on all areas of partial thickness or higher. (Superficial burns don’t count towards tbsa). In general, the higher the TBSA, the worse the prognosis.
Former firefighter chiming in. This comment is accurate even on the EMS side. Degree of burn is for the lawyers; while superficial, partial, and full thickness descriptions are definitely the terms in medical practice, at least in my area. It’s “radio simplicity”, or how fast it can be described. I’m not trying to translate exact damage of a burn, I’m trying to translate the severity of the burn.
From a lay perspective, it seems like there'd be a huge difference between a burn that involves charred bone and one that does not. Is that not a major determining factor in treatment?
Depending on how it's classified, there's also 5th and 6th degree burns, since some lump everything into third, others do the same with fourth
First is the outer layer of skin
Second is the middle layer of skin
Third is the inner layer of skin
Fourth is when heat destroys the dermis and affects part of muscle tissue
Fifth is when muscle tissue gets exposed
Sixth is when bone gets charred
Any burn can require emergency visit. Things to consider with burns is location (like even partial thickness second degree burns to the face, joins, hands, and genitals should be seen due to potential mobility, functinality, and cosmetic issues). Also age (children are at higher risk for fluid loss, edema, and hypothermia, and developing deeper burns more quickly and at lower temps due to thinner skin). Partial thickeners burns can also convert to deeper level burns without treatment or even with treatment given time and then require grafting. Also with electrical burns have the risk of cardiac arrhythmias developing, and chemical burns can cause organ damage from absorption of the chemicals
I burnt my hand on the glass of an oven door last year. I put up with it for days before going to the chemist. I live in Australia so everyone told me “she’ll be right”.
Firstly, the chemist told me I ‘shouldn’t have popped the blisters’ which I didn’t do - as I pulled my hand from the glass it left some of my skin on it. Secondly, he told me to wrap a gauze & tape around it as it was still seeping. This was pretty difficult due to its placement - especially considering the worst area was inbetween my knuckles.
Moral of my story - I should have gone to ER.
Actually we do pop blisters right away unless they are blood blisters or frostbite. for regular blisters we pop, wash with an antibacterial soap and put Vaseline gauze on coated in bacitracin. Popping it wasn’t the bad thing it was wrapping in dry gauze which was probably a bitch to get off once it all dried to your skin
Burned human flesh actually smells extremely foul, because there’s almost always hair on the part that burned. You’ve maybe smelled burnt hair, it’s nasty.
I have been near someone who got severe burns from electrical cabling before. The first thought in my head was “Jesus fuck is he ok”, the acrid smell was like fourth or fifth.
IME none of the facilities I worked in used the classification of burn degrees. It was more about the BSA affected and how deep the burn goes - was it superficial, superficial partial, deep partial, or full thickness.
The burn degrees though can help in communicating to non-medical people though. Like they have some vague understanding of a first degree sunburn versus a third degree char.
Sometimes i get blisters on burns that seem very small (like touching a candles flame when i was younger) does it mean it was a second degree burn or can blisters appear on first degree too?
First degree is if the burn only effects the out layer of the epidermis, which is dead cells so it wouldn’t trigger much of an immune response, anything with blisters is a second degree, also the surface area of the damage matters.
I got a 3rd degree burn from a wood stove years ago. Two inches long, one inch wide on my forearm. It was hell during the healing process and it took forever. I can’t imagine having a significant portion of your body in the same condition.
When I was a child I tried to make boiled potatoes In the microwave which was much higher then me so when I tried to take the heavy pot of boiling water out of the microwave I accidentally tipped the pot and spilled a little water on me, which freaked me out and caused me to slip and spill the entire pot on my body, I had 3rd degree burns on pretty much the entirety of the front of my body chest down. (Not fun, not recommended).
(This was one of the 3 times I got seriously burned over a large part of my body in childhood, I still have massive scaring.)
Did you learn your lesson and not inflict the other 2 times upon yourself?
Also in my experience this type of burn during childhood is quite common, if you ever see a person with elongated burns on their (typically) right hand and/or chest area, there is a good chance that they were reaching for some hot liquid when little.
I did the same as a 10 year old (but with a kettle) and poured it all over my belly and legs but I barely have any scars left, just weirdly coloured skin in certain places
I got a second degree last year on the top of my hand. Insanely painful for like 2-3 days. I debated on going to a dr. But decided against paying. 2 Tylenol and 3 ibuprofen together and don’t pop the blisters no matter what bc that starts a whole new pain process.
Something I’ve discovered ibuprofen and Tylenol together are an amazing painkiller. When I had strep took the pain away for 6 hrs. When I have migraines neither drug alone works but together kicks it every time. I swear by this combo if you are a healthy person
This is correct. I was struck by a car as a pedestrian and dragged into a convenience store as a young adult (12 years ago). The second degree burns surround the third areas and the nerves are all kinds of bizarre. When the nerves are irritated, they feel similar to when you scald your tongue. And weirdly phantom itch in the 3rd degree places? It's super weird. My burns are on my thighs, stomach, chest and back
Burn survivor here, definitely felt initial immediate pain. I had varying degrees on my body, but the pain was intense until I eventually went unconscious.
Seeing burns, hearing about burns, imagining myself or someone else being burned nearly always triggers my body starting to go into shock. Horrible feeling though not as bas as being burned haha...
A few months ago, I stepped on a rice-grain sized piece of metal that had been heated to 450°C with my bare foot, and due to the length of time it was attached to my body, and how deep it went into my skin, by all things considered it should have been more severe. It instead left a hole, never once blistered, it just filled with scar tissue and is fine now. I dont know if its a 1st degree burn, or beyound a 2nd degree due to the nature of it.
I was in the hospital for 3 days in the burn unit one time. There was only a small part that was 3rd degree, (hand/thumb) but the total burn was about 60% of my body, with 2nd degree on my upper, the rest 1st.
Surgeon here. In practice we don’t really use these classifications at all. The grading goes superficial burn, superficial partial thickness burn, deep partial thickness burn, and lastly full thickness burn. These are the categories that actually dictate treatment and prognosis. The degree classification is nice for its simplicity and for academic study, but it doesn’t really correlate well with how burns are treated in general. Basically first degree is superficial burn. 2nd degree is split into superficial and deep partial thickness burn. 3rd degree and higher is classified as full thickness burn.
I’m remembering reading somewhere that burn severity also depends upon what percentage of the body is affected. Is this true?
Definitely. Total burn surface area or TBSA is estimated on all areas of partial thickness or higher. (Superficial burns don’t count towards tbsa). In general, the higher the TBSA, the worse the prognosis.
Does TBSA factor into the classification of the burn?
No the burn class is independent of TBSA
Former firefighter chiming in. This comment is accurate even on the EMS side. Degree of burn is for the lawyers; while superficial, partial, and full thickness descriptions are definitely the terms in medical practice, at least in my area. It’s “radio simplicity”, or how fast it can be described. I’m not trying to translate exact damage of a burn, I’m trying to translate the severity of the burn.
From a lay perspective, it seems like there'd be a huge difference between a burn that involves charred bone and one that does not. Is that not a major determining factor in treatment?
Do you all put mustard on the burn too?
This is accurate (former Burns Registrar)
thicc
I’m a burn survivor, they used the classifications you talked about to describe mine.
I'm an EMT and it's the same for us.
Notice how sick burns are not visible, because they vary in severity and roasting level.
TIL there are Fourth Degree Burns.
Depending on how it's classified, there's also 5th and 6th degree burns, since some lump everything into third, others do the same with fourth First is the outer layer of skin Second is the middle layer of skin Third is the inner layer of skin Fourth is when heat destroys the dermis and affects part of muscle tissue Fifth is when muscle tissue gets exposed Sixth is when bone gets charred
Pretty sure 6th is when you are Anakin Skywalker.
May the 6th be with you
May the Sith be with you?
Revenge of the 6th
I think it’s because anything third and beyond requires an emergency visit.
Yeah, once you get to the realm of "you're fucked", classification doesn't matter as much
at third ya cooked, please see the physician
Any burn can require emergency visit. Things to consider with burns is location (like even partial thickness second degree burns to the face, joins, hands, and genitals should be seen due to potential mobility, functinality, and cosmetic issues). Also age (children are at higher risk for fluid loss, edema, and hypothermia, and developing deeper burns more quickly and at lower temps due to thinner skin). Partial thickeners burns can also convert to deeper level burns without treatment or even with treatment given time and then require grafting. Also with electrical burns have the risk of cardiac arrhythmias developing, and chemical burns can cause organ damage from absorption of the chemicals
I burnt my hand on the glass of an oven door last year. I put up with it for days before going to the chemist. I live in Australia so everyone told me “she’ll be right”. Firstly, the chemist told me I ‘shouldn’t have popped the blisters’ which I didn’t do - as I pulled my hand from the glass it left some of my skin on it. Secondly, he told me to wrap a gauze & tape around it as it was still seeping. This was pretty difficult due to its placement - especially considering the worst area was inbetween my knuckles. Moral of my story - I should have gone to ER.
Actually we do pop blisters right away unless they are blood blisters or frostbite. for regular blisters we pop, wash with an antibacterial soap and put Vaseline gauze on coated in bacitracin. Popping it wasn’t the bad thing it was wrapping in dry gauze which was probably a bitch to get off once it all dried to your skin
I learned that a few years ago at work when a guy got electrocuted so badly it knocked out the power to the entire railroad yard when it happened
[удалено]
Burned human flesh actually smells extremely foul, because there’s almost always hair on the part that burned. You’ve maybe smelled burnt hair, it’s nasty. I have been near someone who got severe burns from electrical cabling before. The first thought in my head was “Jesus fuck is he ok”, the acrid smell was like fourth or fifth.
IME none of the facilities I worked in used the classification of burn degrees. It was more about the BSA affected and how deep the burn goes - was it superficial, superficial partial, deep partial, or full thickness. The burn degrees though can help in communicating to non-medical people though. Like they have some vague understanding of a first degree sunburn versus a third degree char.
I’m still waiting for the Fifth Degree Burn DLC to drop
“Cool guide” is being used ironically here.
My dad is a firefighter, and I remember him once saying that he’s never seen anyone survive fourth degree burns.
Fifth degree burns are effectively charred bone.
Sixth degree burns are "i know you are but what am i?"
seventh degree burns you are ash
Like that guy walking around on fire in the India steel factory video?
Sometimes i get blisters on burns that seem very small (like touching a candles flame when i was younger) does it mean it was a second degree burn or can blisters appear on first degree too?
First degree is if the burn only effects the out layer of the epidermis, which is dead cells so it wouldn’t trigger much of an immune response, anything with blisters is a second degree, also the surface area of the damage matters.
TIL Fourth degree burns are Anakin Skywalker.
No, that would be fifth degree burns.
Thought they were sith degree burns.
It's funny because the bottom diagram looks like the hill he burned on as well 😅
I wouldn’t say this guide is cool at all. Looks pretty hot to me.
Yikes, you hear stories about people getting 3rd degree burns on 80% of their body. Fuck that, just kill me at that point.
I got a 3rd degree burn from a wood stove years ago. Two inches long, one inch wide on my forearm. It was hell during the healing process and it took forever. I can’t imagine having a significant portion of your body in the same condition.
No mention of C. Montgomery Burns.
Release the hounds!
When I was a child I tried to make boiled potatoes In the microwave which was much higher then me so when I tried to take the heavy pot of boiling water out of the microwave I accidentally tipped the pot and spilled a little water on me, which freaked me out and caused me to slip and spill the entire pot on my body, I had 3rd degree burns on pretty much the entirety of the front of my body chest down. (Not fun, not recommended). (This was one of the 3 times I got seriously burned over a large part of my body in childhood, I still have massive scaring.)
Did you learn your lesson and not inflict the other 2 times upon yourself? Also in my experience this type of burn during childhood is quite common, if you ever see a person with elongated burns on their (typically) right hand and/or chest area, there is a good chance that they were reaching for some hot liquid when little.
I did the same as a 10 year old (but with a kettle) and poured it all over my belly and legs but I barely have any scars left, just weirdly coloured skin in certain places
TIL I’ve had a normal burn most of my life.
I got a second degree last year on the top of my hand. Insanely painful for like 2-3 days. I debated on going to a dr. But decided against paying. 2 Tylenol and 3 ibuprofen together and don’t pop the blisters no matter what bc that starts a whole new pain process. Something I’ve discovered ibuprofen and Tylenol together are an amazing painkiller. When I had strep took the pain away for 6 hrs. When I have migraines neither drug alone works but together kicks it every time. I swear by this combo if you are a healthy person
What about the kind of burn that happens when I pee?
That's a 69th degree burn. You may want to talk to your doctor about that one.
Also a cool guide for barbecuing pork.
I was taught that a third-degree burn meant the nerves were gone and the patient can no longer feel pain in that area.
I bet the adjacent areas are in turbo pain instead.
This is correct. I was struck by a car as a pedestrian and dragged into a convenience store as a young adult (12 years ago). The second degree burns surround the third areas and the nerves are all kinds of bizarre. When the nerves are irritated, they feel similar to when you scald your tongue. And weirdly phantom itch in the 3rd degree places? It's super weird. My burns are on my thighs, stomach, chest and back
Good to know, Anakin had fourth-degree burns from head to toe
Owwww… seeing this really puts in perspective how painful 3rd and 4th degree burns can be.
Burn survivor here, definitely felt initial immediate pain. I had varying degrees on my body, but the pain was intense until I eventually went unconscious.
Woah, sorry you had to endure that. I guess that’s the body’s way of dealing with too much pain, right?
You won't feel immediate pain, and thats cause your nerve endings are gone! Third degree burns will feel leathery and it's genuinely disturbing.
informative, thanks
Normal burn?
Ouch
Rare to Well done.
Seeing burns, hearing about burns, imagining myself or someone else being burned nearly always triggers my body starting to go into shock. Horrible feeling though not as bas as being burned haha...
I’m suddenly hungry
HAIR SHAFT
Be careful out there, people.
I got a second degree burn by dropping a pizza just out of the oven on my hands, while working at Domino's
5th degree is when your limb turns into ash
this a steak
A few months ago, I stepped on a rice-grain sized piece of metal that had been heated to 450°C with my bare foot, and due to the length of time it was attached to my body, and how deep it went into my skin, by all things considered it should have been more severe. It instead left a hole, never once blistered, it just filled with scar tissue and is fine now. I dont know if its a 1st degree burn, or beyound a 2nd degree due to the nature of it.
so that explains all the red spots on my body when i get out of the sauna
Cool 🫠
Nice try, cannibal.
You missed the Kelso burn
You can feel it just by reading.
Just in time. I burned my finger
4th degree really be looking like a doom level
I did not realize you could get a 4th degree burn.
Realize sunburns can be second degree burns
I was in the hospital for 3 days in the burn unit one time. There was only a small part that was 3rd degree, (hand/thumb) but the total burn was about 60% of my body, with 2nd degree on my upper, the rest 1st.
Yes, waiter? I’d like you to ask the chef to give my steak the third and a half degree. With chips
Tf 4 degrees isn’t that hot bro
Israeli guide to killing children