Types of Burns - Signs and Symptoms

Burns are often categorized as first-, second-, or third-degree burns, depending on how badly the skin is damaged. Each of the injuries above can cause any of these three types of burn. But both the type of burn and its cause will determine how the burn is treated. All burns should be treated quickly to reduce the temperature of the burned area and reduce damage to the skin and underlying tissue (if the burn is severe).

First-degree burns, the mildest of the three, are limited to the top layer of skin:

* Signs and symptoms: These burns produce redness, pain, and minor swelling. The skin is dry without blisters.
* Healing time: Healing time is about 3 to 6 days; the superficial skin layer over the burn may peel off in 1 or 2 days.

Second-degree burns are more serious and involve the skin layers beneath the top layer:

* Signs and symptoms: These burns produce blisters, severe pain, and redness. The blisters sometimes break open and the area is wet looking with a bright pink to cherry red color.
* Healing time: Healing time varies depending on the severity of the burn.

Third-degree burns are the most serious type of burn and involve all the layers of the skin and underlying tissue:

* Signs and symptoms: The surface appears dry and can look waxy white, leathery, brown, or charred. There may be little or no pain or the area may feel numb at first because of nerve damage.
* Healing time: Healing time depends on the severity of the burn. Deep second- and third-degree burns (called full-thickness burns) will likely need to be treated with skin grafts, in which healthy skin is taken from another part of the body and surgically placed over the burn wound to help the area heal.