Did you know that putting ice on a burn is dangerous?

Next time you burn yourself, don’t reach for that ice pack. While trying to cool down your burn might be your first instinct, the way you cool it is important.

Burns are common injuries and there is a lot of misinformation about how to treat burns at home. Being prepared and knowing how to safely treat a minor burn is important to keep yourself and your kids safe.

Keep reading for our top 5 tips for at-home burn relief.

Treating Your Burn at Home

Burns are a common household injury that do not always require medical intervention.

Burns are classified in categories by their severity. First-degree burns are the least severe because only the outer layer of skin is burnt.

Second-degree burns, which cause blisters, affect deeper layers of your skin.

Third-degree burns affect all layers of the skin. Finally, fourth-degree burns can involve the joints and bones.

First and second-degree burns can be treated at home if they are less than three inches in diameter. Larger burns and third and fourth-degree burns require immediate medical attention.

Mild burns usually heal in a week or two. They are unlikely to leave a scar.

It’s important to treat your burn to prevent infection, speed up healing, and reduce pain.

1. Keep it Cool

If you burn yourself, your first course of action should be to run cool water over the area for 20 minutes. Make sure the water isn’t cold. After 20 minutes, wash the burn with mild soap and water.

You can reduce the pain and swelling of the burnt area by using a cool compress or cool cloth. Apply the compress in 5 to 15-minute intervals. It’s important to make sure the compress is not too cold as this might irritate the burn.

2. Antibiotics

Use an over the counter antibiotic ointment or cream like Neosporin or Bacitracin to prevent infection of the burn. After applying the product, cover the area with a cling film or a sterile dressing or cloth.

3. Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera is effective in treating first and second-degree burns.

Applying aloe vera to your burn will help promote healing by reducing inflammation, promoting circulation, and inhibiting the growth of bacteria.

It’s best to use pure aloe vera gel obtained directly from an aloe vera plant. If needed, you can purchase aloe vera gel at a store.

4. Honey

Applying honey to your burn will help it heal faster. Honey has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties.

5. Pain Reliever

If your burn is causing you pain that is not improved with a cold compress, you can take over the counter pain relievers. Ibuprofen or Naproxen are your best bets.

Read the medication’s label for dosage information.

Severe Burn Relief

If you have a severe burn or these burn relief methods are not working for you, consider seeking medical treatment.

If you experience a severe burn that you believe would be considered a third or fourth-degree burn, seek emergency medical treatment. If your mild burn shows signs of infection, seek treatment as soon as possible.