Burns are damage layerskin caused by thing heat, including fire, hot water, and hot steam. Broken kskin consequence Burns make the sufferer susceptible to infection, because the skin is the body's first line of defense against infection. Therefore, treatment needs to be done as soon as possible.
Efforts to treat burns vary, depending on the location and severity of the wound. Minor burns can be treated independently at home. However, in deep or extensive burns, special treatment is required.
Burn Severity Tingkat
Based on the skin damage that occurs, burns are divided into 3 degrees, namely:
- 1st degree burn. These burns only cause damage to the outer layer of the skin (epidermis).
- 2nd degree burn. These burns cause damage to the deeper layers of the skin (dermis).
- 3 degree burn. Damage to reach the fat layer, and damage nerves and blood vessels.
In addition to the depth of skin damage, the severity of burns can also be measured from the area burned. The calculation of the percentage of burned skin surface area in adults consists of:
- Head area: 9%
- Chest: 9%
- Stomach: 9%
- Back and buttocks: 18%
- Each arm: 9%
- Each leg: 18%
- Genital area: 1%
For example, if the burn occurs on both legs, genital area, chest and abdomen, then the total area of the burn is 55%. If the burn surface area exceeds 20%, the body will experience a lack of fluids so that it can cause a drop in blood pressure to shock.
The location of the burn also determines its severity. For example, if you have burns to your face, nose, mouth, chest, or neck, you may experience breathing problems. This occurs due to inflammation of the respiratory tract, thereby blocking the airway.
Causes of Burns
Burns are caused by skin coming into contact with or being exposed to:
- hot thing
- Sunlight
- Radiation
- Chemical material
- Electricity
Burn Treatment
First aid for dealing with burns is to extinguish the fire or lift objects that are still smoldering from the patient, followed by removing the clothes or cloth that is attached to the burned skin.
Patients can then cool the burn with running water and take paracetamol to relieve pain. If the burn is severe, the patient is advised to receive further treatment at the hospital.
Burn Complications
Burns can cause various complications if not treated properly. Below are some of the complications from burns:
- Scar
- Hypothermia
- Movement disorder
- Infection
- Respiratory disorders
- Losing a lot of body fluids
Burn Prevention
There are various ways to prevent burns. Some things that can be done to prevent burns are not forgetting to turn off the fire or the source of the fire, not smoking in the building, and using hand protection when cooking. In addition, to prevent children from burns, keep children away from all sources of ignition such as matches.