| Type |
Causes and Effects |
| First-degree |
Sunburn; steam. Reddening and peeling. Affects epidermis (top layer of skin). Heals within a week. |
| Second-degree |
Scalding; holding hot metal. Deeper burns causing blisters. Affects dermis (deep skin layer). Heals in two to three weeks. |
| Third-degree |
Fire. A full layer of skin is destroyed. Requires a doctor’s care and grafting. |
| Circumferential |
Any burns (often electrical) that completely encircle a limb or body region (such as the chest), which can impair circulation or respiration; requires a doctor’s care; fasciotomy (repair of connective tissues) is sometimes required. |
| Chemical |
Acid, alkali. Can be neutralized with water (for up to half an hour). Doctor’s evaluation recommended. |
| Electrical |
Destruction of muscles, nerves, circulatory system, etc., below the skin. Doctor’s evaluation and ECG monitoring required. |
If more than ten percent of body surface is affected in second-and third-degree burns, shock can develop when large quantities of fluid (and its protein) are lost. When skin is burned, it cannot protect the body from airborne bacteria.
