A burn is a skin injury caused by many different things where usually affects the outer layer of a persons skin but occasionally down to deeper tissues such as muscle and bone. Burns are caused from a number of sources including heat, electricity, radiation, friction, or chemicals. They an important type of injury to understand as they are common in everyday life but in extreme cases can cause disfigurement or disablement. These injuries can be complicated by infection, shock and respiratory distress especially in large burns which can be fatal without immediate medical assistance. In the last 60 years, these types of burns have become significantly more treatable especially in children and young adults due to advances in medicine.

There are a number of different classifications for burns and is divided into first, second and third degree burns which are described below depending on the depth of the burn.


First Degree Burns

These first degree burns are usually limited to redness with a white plaque and minor pain at the site of injury. These burns only affect the upper layer of the skin. Sunburns are usually described as being a first-degree burn.

First Degree Burn

A First Degree Sunburn


Second Degree Burns

Second degree burns always have a blistering of the skin and can involve much more pain then first degree burns depending on the level of nerves involved. Deep second degree burns can take up to three weeks to heal as they may damage tissue all the way down to the dermis layer. These types of burns should be seen by a surgeon if they take long to heal and a skin graft is often done to speed up healing.

A Second Degree Burn Blistering

A Second Degree Burn on the Hand


Third Degree Burns

In a third degree burn, the epidermis is totally lost to damage and sometimes all the way to the bone. The tissue may afterwards be black and charred like wood in a fire. These burns almost always result in scarring and hair will not grow in its place as skin grafting is usually needed to repair the damage.

Third Degree Burn

A Third Degree Burn to the Foot