What is the difference between First, Second, and Third-Degree Burns?

Burns are always going to be painful, and they come in varying degrees depending on the severity of the burn. A first-degree burn is going to look a bit red, although they may not necessarily be puffy, especially if proper first aid would be done the moment that the person gets burned.

Second-degree burns are going to be more painful. There are some blisters that would start to appear in various parts of the infected skin. They would be able to affect not only the outer layer of the skin like first degree burns but also the middle layer of the skin.

Third-degree burns are going to be the most severe, especially since they would affect all the layers of the skin. Those who get burned this way sometimes have their muscle tissues exposed. The burned skin will turn white, or the skin will look charred overall.

Burns can be minute or severe injuries depending on the type of burn there is. Burns have different categories, which depend on the extent of the burn. There are first degree burns, that impact just the first layer of the skin. This type of burn is mild and can often be treated at home, without needing to go to the hospital.

Second degree burns are deeper, because they impact the dermis of the skin and the epidermis . They take more time than first degree burns to heal. Third degree burns are deeper than that and require medical attention and sometimes may even require surgery to heal.

Before delving into the various differences that exist between first, second, and third-degree burns, it is important to note that this categorization is done based on the extent or severity of the injury. First-degree burns are usually regarded as skin injuries that affect just the first layer of the skin. They are the mildest types of this classification.

This type of skin injury can be treated at home without having a need or concern to visit the hospital. With little medications, first-degree burns will heal in less than a week. Second-degree burns are skin injuries that affect the epidermis and the dermis of the skin. These types of burns are a little bit serious than first-degree burns because they go deeper into the skin and affect the lower layer of the skin.

Second-degree burns usually cause blistering, redness, pain, swelling. Some of these types of skin injuries need medical attention. Third-degree burns are the most severe of all types of skin injuries or burns. These types of burns usually go deeper into the skin layers, even after affecting the first two layers. Victims of third-degree burns need to be taken to the hospital for proper medical treatment.

First degree burns are the most minor of all types of burns. Treatments for this kind of burn can be administered and applied at home. They are characterized by burns that are superficial. Their healing is usually fast and easy, taking between four to six days. A very common example of this kind of burn is sunburn. Second-degree burns are a bit more serious than first degree burns.

Apart from the fact that they affect the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis, these kinds of burns do penetrate deeper into the dermis, which is the next layer. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat or to a burning chemical can result in this kind of burn. Third-degree burns are the most serious kind of burns. In addition to burning the first two layers which are epidermis and dermis, it enters deeply into other skin layers such as the subcutaneous layer.