"Burns ...vary in severity from causing minor pain to being life-threatening.
First-degree burns are the mildest type, only damaging the top layer of skin. The skin gets red, painful, and tender...no blisters form and the area turns white when touched.
Second-degree burns cause damage to deeper layers of the skin. The skin looks much like a first-degree, burn except that blisters form at the surface. The blisters may be red or whitish and are filled with a clear fluid.
Third-degree burns are the worst type of burn, extending through all layers of the skin and causing nerve damage.
Because of this nerve damage, third-degree burns generally aren't painful and have no feeling when touched-an ominous sign. The skin may be white, blackened, or bright red. Blisters may also be present.
Only first-degree burns should be self-treated. More severe burns require a doctor's supervision to prevent infection and scarring. Third-degree burns and extensive second-degree burns can cause permanent injury or death.
...cool the burn as quickly as possible by immersing the area in cold water. The burned area should be kept clean until it heals."
N Z Med J. 2009 May 22;122(1295):47-60.
Honey in the treatment of burns: a systematic review and meta-analysis of its efficacy.
Wijesinghe M, Weatherall M, Perrin K, Beasley R.
Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ), Wellington 6143, New Zealand.
Abstract
AIM: To determine the efficacy of honey in burn wound management.
METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials which compared the efficacy of honey with a comparator dressing treatment in the management of burns. The main outcome measure was the proportion of subjects with wounds healed at 15 days.
RESULTS: Eight studies with 624 subjects were included in the meta-analysis. The quality of the studies was poor with each study having a Jadad score of 1. Six studies were undertaken by the same investigator. In most studies unprocessed honey covered by sterile gauze was compared with silver sulphadiazine-impregnated gauze. The fixed effects odds ratio for healing at 15 days was 6.1 (95% CI 3.7 to 9.9) in favour of honey having a superior effect. The random effects pooled odds ratio was 6.7 (95% CI 2.8 to 15.8) in favour of honey treatment. The secondary outcome variables all showed significantly greater efficacy for honey treatment.
CONCLUSION: Available evidence indicates markedly greater efficacy of honey compared with alternative dressing treatments for superficial or partial thickness burns, although the limitations of the studies included in the meta-analysis restrict the clinical application of these findings. Further studies are urgently required to determine the role of honey in the management of superficial or partial thickness burns.
Burns. 1996 Sep;22(6):491-3.
Honey dressing versus boiled potato peel in the treatment of burns: a prospective randomized study.Subrahmanyam M.
Department of Surgery, Dr Vaishampayan Memorial Medical College, Solapur, Maharashtra, India.
Abstract
Honey dressing was compared with boiled potato peel dressings as a cover for fresh partial-thickness burns in two groups of 50 randomly allocated patients. In the 50 patients treated with honey, 90 per cent of wounds were rendered sterile within 7 days.
In the 50 patients treated with boiled potato peel dressings, persistent infection was noted within 7 days. Of the wounds treated with honey, 100 per cent healed within 15 days as against 50 per cent in the wounds treated with boiled potato peel dressings (mean 10.4 vs. 16.2 days).
PMID: 8884013 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Abstract
A total of 104 cases of superficial burn injury were studied to assess the efficiency of honey as a dressing in comparison with silver sulfadiazine gauze dressing. In the 52 patients treated with honey, 91 per cent of wounds were rendered sterile within 7 days. In the 52 patients treated with silver sulfadiazine, 7 per cent showed control of infection within 7 days. Healthy granulation tissue was observed earlier in patients treated with honey (mean 7·4 versus 13·4 days). Of the wounds treated with honey 87 per cent healed within 15 days as against 10 per cent in the control group. Relief of pain, a lower incidence of hypertrophic scar and postburn contracture, low cost and easy availability make honey an ideal dressing in the treatment of burns.
A significant dose of vitamin A (50,000 to 100,000 IU single dose depending on typical daily intake) can be benficial for the healing of wounds and burns. See my diigo "list" entitled "Wound Healing and Burn Treatment".