Partial thickness burn skin#
In addition, severe burns can penetrate deep skin layers, causing muscle or tissue damage that may affect every system of the body.īurns can also cause emotional problems such as depression, nightmares, or flashbacks from the traumatizing event. Persons with severe burns may be left with a loss of certain physical abilities, including loss of limb(s), disfigurement, loss of mobility, scarring, and recurrent infections because the burned skin has decreased ability to fight infection. It can affect not only the burn victim, but the entire family. Individuals with partial-thickness burns over 10% or more of the total body surface area (TBSA)īurns of the face, hands, feet, or groin, or genital area, or burns that extend all the way around a portion of the bodyīurns accompanied by an inhalation injury affecting the airway or the lungsīurn patients with existing chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or multiple sclerosisĪ severe burn can be a seriously devastating injury - not only physically but emotionally. Because the age of a burn victim and the percentage of the body's surface area that has been burned are the most important factors affecting the outlook of a burn injury, the American Burn Association recommends that burn patients who meet the following criteria should be treated at a specialized burn center: There is no feeling in the area since the nerve endings are destroyed.īurns that are more severe and extensive need specialized treatment. When bones, muscles, or tendons are also burned, this may be referred to as a fourth-degree burn. Third-degree burns may also damage the underlying bones, muscles, and tendons.
Third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and dermis. The burn site appears red, blistered, and may be swollen and painful. Second-degree burns involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of skin. Long-term tissue damage is rare and usually involves an increase or decrease in the skin color. The burn site is red, painful, dry, and with no blisters. In addition to serving as a protective shield against heat, light, injury, and infection, the skin also:īurns are classified as first-, second-, or third-degree, depending on how deep and severely they penetrate the skin's surface.įirst-degree burns affect only the epidermis, or outer layer of skin. The subcutis, consisting of a network of collagen and fat cells, helps conserve the body's heat and protects the body from injury by acting as a "shock absorber." The subcutis is the deepest layer of skin. This layer also contains nerve endings that conduct pain and touch signals. The dermis is held together by a protein called collagen, made by fibroblasts. The dermis is the middle layer of the skin. The epidermis also contains melanocytes, which are cells that produce melanin (skin pigment). This layer is where new skin cells divide to replace the old cells that are shed at the surface. This layer is made up of living cells that are maturing and moving toward the surface to become the stratum corneum. As the outermost layer, it continuously flakes off. it keeps body fluid in while keeping external substances out. This layer is made up of cells containing the protein keratin. The epidermis is the thin, outer layer of the skin with many layers including: It is made up of several layers, with each layer having a specific functions: The skin is the largest organ of the body and has many important functions. These burns are from electrical current, either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). These burns are due to strong acids, alkalies, detergents, or solvents coming into contact with the skin or eyes.Įlectrical burns. These burns are due to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun, or to other sources of radiation such as X-ray.Ĭhemical burns. Hot metals, scalding liquids, steam, and flames, when coming into contact with the skin, can cause thermal burns. These burns are due to heat sources which raise the temperature of the skin and tissues and cause tissue cell death or charring. There are many types of burns caused by thermal, radiation, chemical, or electrical contact. Both infants and the older adults are at the greatest risk for burn injury. Scalding is the leading cause of burn injury for children. Smoking and open flame are the leading causes of burn injury for older adults. Burns are a type of painful wound caused by thermal, electrical, chemical, or electromagnetic energy.
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