Definition

A burn is damage to the skin and sometimes to the underlying tissues. Burns are categorized according to the depth and extent of the damage to the skin:

• Superficial burn (also called first-degree burn)
  • Mildest type of burn
  • Often caused by ultraviolet light, or very short (“flash") flame exposure
  • Affects only the outer layer of the skin (epidermis)
  • Normally does not cause scarring
  • Takes about 3-6 days to heal
• Superficial partial-thickness burn (also called second-degree burn)
  • Often caused by a scald (spill or splash) or short (“flash”) flame exposure
  • Affects the outer layer of the skin more deeply, usually causing blistering
  • May or may not cause scarring, but often does cause long-term skin color changes
  • Takes about 1-3 weeks to heal
• Deep partial-thickness burn (also called second-degree burn)
  • Often caused by a scald (spill), may involve flame, oil, or grease
  • Affects the outer and underlying layer of skin (dermis), causing blistering
  • Usually causes scarring
  • Usually takes more than three weeks to heal
• Full-thickness burn (also called third-degree burn)
  • Very serious
  • Often caused by scald (immersion), may involve flame, steam, oil, grease, chemicals, or high-voltage electricity
  • Damages all layers of the skin, and may involve the tissues underneath (muscle and bone)
  • Causes scarring
  • Will heal only at the wound edges by scarring, unless skin grafting is done

Classification of Skin Burns

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