How To Sooth A Burn Naturally

When Burns Happen

 

I recently burned myself while brewing a batch of kombucha.  You can read more about that here, I highly recommend you read this article if you brew your own kombucha!

I burned myself pretty badly, second degree burns.  I wanted to treat my burn naturally and this is how I did that.

But first, I want to share with you the difference between 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns.  It is important that you know the difference between these burns and when it is necessary to seek medical attention.

The Difference Between 1st, 2nd and 3rd Degree Burns

 

According to kidshealth.org, here is how to tell the degree of burn that you might have.

First-Degree Burns

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

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. It can take up to 3 weeks or more.

Third-Degree Burns

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.

When To Seek Medical Attention

 

It is very important to seek medical attention for second and third degree burns.  Risk of infection is high for both of these degree of burns, so be sure to see the doctor if you experience these levels of burns.

In my case, I went in to see my doctor and she cleaned and lightly dressed the wound.

When I went home, I followed up with a few home remedies to help heal my wound naturally.  As always, it is very important to seek the medical advise of your physician before trying any home remedies.

Heal A Burn Naturally

 

So after I made it home, I was sure to keep the wound clean and freshly dressed to keep out the risk of infection.

My burn was a second degree burn, so I followed my doctors orders and then followed up a few days later with these naturally remedies.

Using Aloe Vera

 

One of the most soothing things I put on my burn was aloe vera.  Now I am not talking about the aloe vera that you get in the stores, I am talking about aloe vera that comes directly from the plant.

• Simply cut a large leaf/stem off of the base of the plant.
• Carefully slice diagonally (not cutting all the way through) into the aloe vera stem exposing the gel like substance.
• Now place the entire piece, (gel and plant with the gel side down) on top of the burn and wrap with some gauze and tape to keep in place.
• Leave on overnight and replace the plant and dressing the next morning.  Continue to do this until the burn is healed.

Using Lavender Essential Oil

 

Another method to help heal the wound naturally is to use lavender essential oil.  You can read my introduction to lavender essential oil and its over 35 uses in this post.

Lavender essential oil is anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory and helps with reducing the pain.  It can also renew cell growth when the skin is burned. Follow this protocol to heal your burn.

• Simply mix together 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil (You Can Buy It Here) with 2 teaspoon of coconut or olive oil and rub over the burn.
• Repeat several times a day until the burn is healed.
• To help reduce the pain and peeling, you can add 10 drops of lavender essential oil with 4 oz of distilled water and mix in a spritzer bottle. Spray as needed.

Be sure you are using only therapeutic-grade essential oils!  I highly recommend the essential oils below. It is the only brand I use and trust!

You can learn more about essential oils here.

Sources:

• source: http://kidshealth.org/
• source: http://botanical.com/site/by_you/acandee_burns.html
• source: modern essentials