Burn is the tissue destruction of the skin due to the effect of a harmful cause. The extent of the damage depends on the intensity of the heat and the duration of skin’s exposure to it.
Dr. Ioannis Dalianoudis
PLASTIC SURGEON
"Depending on the depth of the burn and the layers that have been affected, burns are divided into 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree," explains Dr. Ioannis Dalianoudis, Plastic Surgeon and Scientific Director of Advanced Plastic Surgery.
Depending on their depth and the layers of skin affected, burns are divided into 3 categories:
1st degree:
The damage extends only to the uppermost layer of the skin (e.g. sunburns). These are superficial burns affecting only the epidermis.
2nd degree:
The damage extends beyond the upper and middle layers of the skin and blisters appear. They are partial-thickness burns and involve the epidermis and the choroidal part of the skin. They usually heal within three weeks with appropriate treatment.
3rd degree:
The destruction of the skin in the area is total. It is a full-thickness burn and involves the epidermis and the dermis, and the depth of the burn extends to the subcutaneous fat.
In addition to the depth of the burn, the extent in terms of total body surface area is an important predictor of the outcome of the burn. It is calculated as a percentage of total body surface area and special calculation charts (Lund & Browder charts) are available to facilitate its calculation.
Another way of dividing burns is into epidermal (corresponding to those of grade A and B) and subcutaneous (grade C).
Burns
Treatment
The treatment of burns depends on the degree of burn and can be done in the following ways:
Conservative treatment:
Covering the burns with petroleum jelly gauze to protect the wound from infection and relieve pain.
Surgical treatment:
Repairing the burns using skin grafts taken from other parts of the body. More than one operation may be needed to fully repair the lesions.
At Advanced Plastic Surgery, member of the CDM Medical Group, we perform the initial evaluation and treatment of a burn as well as the follow up on a burn that does not require hospitalization.
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