Chemical Burns: First Aid

By Matt Unangst, 01 Feb 14:22

Chemical burns must be treated differently from normal burns.

The first thing to do if you are burned by a chemical is to get the chemical off of your skin. Run the burned area under cool running water for at least twenty minutes. Powder chemicals should be brushed off of your skin before you run the burn under water. Take off any clothing or jewelry you are wearing that might have come in contact with the chemical that caused the burn. After flushing the burn, wet a cloth with cool water and apply it lightly to the burn in order to relieve pain. If the burning sensation gets worse after the initial washing, rewash the burn for several minutes more, then reapply the wet cloth. If the pain does not get worse after a few minutes, remove the cloth from your skin and wrap the burn with a dry, sterile dressing or cloth.

Although minor chemical burns do not normally cause any lasting problems, serious chemical burns can be life threatening. If you see someone showing signs of shock, such as fainting, looking pale, or breathing shallowly, you should call for emergency medical help. Medical professionals should also be contacted if the chemical has burned all the way through the first layer of skin and the burned area is more than three inches in diameter; if the burn is on the eyes, hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks, or major joint; or if over-the-counter pain relievers do not control the pain felt by the victim.

The number to call for any serious chemical burns is (800)222-1222, the number for a poison control center in your area. A poison control center operator can tell you the toxicity level of most substances. Bring the chemical container or a complete description of the chemical with you if you go to a poison control center for emergency medical care.

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Tags: chemical burn, poison control center, 222-1222, shock, emergency, first aid