Burns

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BURNS

Even the smallest burn-accidently grazing a red-hot oven rack with one hand or singeing your neck with a curling iron-can cause big-time pain, redness, throbbing, swelling and even blistering.

Here's what experts advice

Run it under cool water

Apply cool water immediately to stop the burning process.Don't use ice, because it's too cold and could further traumatize already damaged skin.

Milk or Soda works, too

If water is not convenient, use whatever you have nearby to cool a burn quickly-even milk or a cold can of soda wrapped in a clean towel. Then rinse the burn with cool water as soon as possible.

Cool with a compress

Apply a wash cloth or towel soaked in cool water on and off for several hours.

Take aspirin or ibuprofen

If you take an anti-inflammatory medication quickly enough-within the first hour or so after a burn-it will not only ease pain but it might also actually prevent the burn from getting worse. If you do not have a stomach ulcer you continue taking two 200-miligram tablets or capsules every six hours for one or two days to keep inflammation and swelling down and to help decrease the severity of the wound.

Be gentle with blisters

In general, leave a burn blister intact-it's your body's way of providing a protective bandage. The collection of fluid in the blister is the white blood cells that the body sends to help protect against infection and help with the healing process. If the blister is small, your body will natuarlly reabsorb the fluid within a few days.

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