Burns and Scalds
Cool with clean running water. Never use ice, butter or toothpaste.
urgentHIGH-CONFIDENCE GUIDANCEReviewed 2026-08-18
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RECOGNIZE
- Red, painful skin; blisters; white, brown or charred skin.
- Severe burns may be painless because nerve endings are damaged.
- Burns to the face, neck, hands, feet, joints or genitals are always serious.
- Soot around the nose or mouth, hoarse voice or coughing after a fire suggests airway burns.
CALL
- Call 112 for large burns, deep burns, burns to face/airway, chemical or electrical burns, or burns in infants and elderly people.
- Call 112 if the person has breathing difficulty after a fire.
DO NOW
- 1STOP THE BURNINGMove away from the heat source and put out any flames — stop, drop and roll.
- 2REMOVE JEWELLERY AND LOOSE CLOTHINGTake off rings, bangles and clothing near the burn — but never pull off anything stuck to the skin.
- 3COOL WITH RUNNING WATERHold the burn under cool clean running water for 20 minutes.
- 4KEEP THE PERSON WARMCool the burn, not the person. Cover the rest of the body, especially children.
- 5COVER THE BURNAfter cooling, cover loosely with cling film or a clean non-fluffy dressing.
- 6GET MEDICAL CARECall 112 or reach a hospital for anything more than a small superficial burn.
DO NOT DO
- DO NOT apply toothpaste, butter, ghee, oil, haldi, ink, mud or any household substance.
- DO NOT apply ice or iced water directly to a burn.
- DO NOT burst blisters.
- DO NOT peel off clothing that is stuck to the skin.
- DO NOT use cotton wool or fluffy dressings on a burn.
- DO NOT delay cooling while looking for a remedy.
WHILE WAITING FOR HELP
- Keep cooling for the full 20 minutes where possible, then cover the burn.
- Watch for shivering in children and elderly people and keep the rest of the body warm.
- Note what caused the burn and the time it happened.
- Watch breathing if there was any smoke or fire in an enclosed space.
WHEN TO ESCALATE
- Breathing difficulty, hoarse voice or soot around the mouth → airway burn, call 112 immediately.
- Burn larger than the person's palm, or any deep burn → emergency care.
- Unresponsive and not breathing normally → Cardiac Arrest flow.
AFTERCARE
- Keep the dressing clean and dry, and watch for infection: increasing pain, pus, fever, spreading redness.
- Ask a doctor about tetanus protection.
Special cases
Chemical burn
- Protect yourself first — wear gloves and avoid contact with the chemical.
- Brush off dry powder, then remove contaminated clothing where safe.
- Flush the area with plenty of clean running water for at least 20 minutes.
- Take the chemical container or label to hospital.
Chemical in the eye
- Irrigate the eye immediately with clean running water or saline for at least 20 minutes, holding the eyelid open.
- Flush from the inner corner outwards so the chemical does not run into the other eye.
- Emergency care is required — continue irrigation on the way if possible.
Electrical burn
- Switch off the power supply before touching the person.
- Electrical injuries need medical evaluation even if the skin looks barely marked, because deep and cardiac injury can exist.
MEDICAL SOURCES
World Health Organization
Burns — Fact sheet and emergency care guidance
Published / updated 2023 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18
Open sourceAmerican Red Cross
Focused Updates and Guidelines for First Aid
Published / updated 2024 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18
European Resuscitation Council
ERC Guidelines — Basic Life Support and First Aid
Published / updated 2021 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18
Open source
This content is educational first-aid guidance and does not replace emergency medical care. Guidelines can change. Verify clinical guidance periodically.