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Minor Burns

Urgent Care for Minor Burns Treatment in Rockville MD

Minor burns can still cause significant damage, it is best to get checked out by your medical provider to make sure no further damage under the skin was caused, or that an infection may occur due to the significant nature of the burn. At Physicians Now Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic, our doctors and medical professionals are experienced in treating various kinds of burns. Contact us today for more information or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 15215 Shady Grove Road, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850.

Urgent Care for Minor Burns Treatment Near Me in Rockville, MD
Urgent Care for Minor Burns Treatment Near Me in Rockville, MD

Table of Contents:

Which burn is considered a minor burn?
How can I tell the difference between 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns?
When should I get medical treatment for a burn?
How long does it take burns to heal?

Which burn is considered a minor burn?

A minor burn can occur at any time, anywhere, and can be noticeably visible as well as symptomatically visible, due to the pain minor burns can cause to an individual. Minor burns can cause tissue damage when the tissue comes into contact with a heat source.

First-degree burns are considered one of the most minor burns an individual can receive. As they are much milder compared to the other degree of burns, they still can cause pain when inflicted, but the most noticeable signs you will see from a first-degree burn is the reddening of the outer layer of the skin’s tissue.

How can I tell the difference between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns?

The burn symptoms you may notice will range depending on the cause and the type of burn that has resulted:

First-degree burns are mild, and while they do cause some pain, the most visible result you will see is the reddening of the affected skin’s tissue.

Second-degree burns are a level above first-degree burns, and they affect the outer layer of your skin which is called the epidermis, as well as the lower layer of skin which is called the dermis. Second-degree burns also cause pain, as well as redness like first-degree burns, with the exception that you can experience swelling and/or blistering associated with second-degree burns.

Third-degree burns are much worse, as they go through the lower layer of skin and affect the individual as it targets the tissues that are found deeper underneath. This burn results in signs of white or even blackened and sometimes charred skin which may become numb.

Finally, fourth-degree burns are considered one of the worst degrees anyone can have to affect them. This degree of burn goes even deeper than the previous three, as it affects the muscles and bones. Not only are your muscles and bones affected, fourth-degree burns can also affect the nerve endings by damaging them or completely destroying them altogether, causing no feeling in the tissues or muscles and bones of the burned area.

Depending on the degree of burn an individual may be affected by, they can go into shock. Symptoms of shock include pale and/or clammy skin, weakness, bluish-looking lips and fingernails, and a drop in the individual’s alertness.

When should I get medical treatment for a burn?

While first, as well as second-degree burns can usually be healed on their own without medical attention from a medical provider at an emergency room, it is still recommended to go visit your primary care physician for a follow-up to make sure nothing more was affected or harmed by the burn. Especially if you have a second-degree burn that you are noticing has not started to feel better within a day or so, and it feels deeper than it should.

Third- and fourth-degree burns are much more serious and will need immediate medical attention from a medical care provider like an emergency room, as they can cause internal issues if they are not treated rather quickly.

If you have received a serious burn, or someone else has, call 9-1-1 immediately, and let them know about the burn and that you will need medical attention.

It is always better to be safe and see your primary care doctor for your minor burns, in case an infection occurs or your burn is worse than you may have self-diagnosed.

How long does it take burns to heal?

Minor burns like first-degree burns are considered superficial burns and they normally can heal on their own within 3 to 6 days.

Second-degree burns are considered superficial partial-thickness burns which normally can heal in less than three weeks after the incident.

Third-degree burns are considered deep partial-thickness burns, they will take more than three weeks to heal, and many times will need medical intervention to help them heal properly.

Fourth-degree burns also considered full-thickness burns will only heal at the edges of the burn by scarring without skin grafts. A skin graft is a very thin layer of skin that is taken from an unburned area and placed on a badly burned area to help heal. The healing process after a skin graft is completed can take different time frames to heal, and mainly the medical staff is worried about it healing correctly without any indication of infection or the skin not taking in that new area. We serve patients from Rockville MD, Travilah MD, Darnestown MD, Germantown MD, Gaithersburg MD, Colesville MD, and Bethesda MD.