If you recently recovered from an intense burn, or have some scarring from a mild burn, you may be wondering what kind of burn scar treatment is available to you. In this post, we will take a look at how to treat burns, based on the different types of burn scars.
It Starts Here: How To Treat Burns
The type of burn treatment you use will depend on the type of burn you have and its severity; however, all mild burns can be treated with a few simple steps:
- Wash the area with mild soap and water
- Dry the area completely without rubbing
- Cover with a basic, natural ointment like aloe or petroleum jelly
As the days go on, continue to follow these steps until the wound appears to be fully closed (no seeping or bleeding). After the wound closes, you can start scar prevention treatments. When caring for your burn, avoid contact with anything that might cause infection, and always wash your hands before changing dressings or reapplying ointments.
What To Do For Burn Scar Treatment
If your burn finished healing but was worse than you thought or you have just made it home after hospitalization for a serious burn, it’s time to get to work on those scars. Some people will feel okay with the way their scar heals naturally, and that’s great! However, for those who want a little bit more scar management, there are certainly options.
Tip #1: Start The Healing Process Off Right
If your mild burns are healing properly, your likelihood of scarring is minimized. Take care of your wounds properly and the permanent damage will be far less. If you were cared for in a hospital, advocate for yourself and ask for the best of the burn care team; these individuals may have worked with (or are) plastic surgeons.
Tip #2: Give Your Body The Healing It Needs From The Inside
Healing is a full-body process; it doesn’t just occur in the skin. Making sure you are properly hydrated and nourished will improve your recovery time and may even improve the final appearance of your scarring.
Tip #3: Avoid Infection
The worst setback you could have is infection. Bacterial or fungal infections in your healing skin will cause structural damage and decrease your body’s ability to focus on healing the wound, due to the need to rid your body of the infection. Keep your burns clean, dry, and covered to avoid infection.
Tip #4: Know When To Use Medical Interventions
If you are a victim of severe scarring, it may be in your best interest to seek out solutions like skin grafts or plastic surgery to repair badly scarred areas - especially if these scarred areas are affecting your quality of life or self-image.
Tip #5: Use Good Scar Management Products
If you have a mild or moderate superficial burn, you can start using silicone scar products as soon as the wound closes. Most people forget that products like silicone scar sheets can be used much sooner on burns than they can be used on, say, a large surgical wound. And, before that point, products like our steroid-free Skin Recovery Cream can be used to reduce inflammation, itching, and redness.
With these scar healing tips, you may be surprised just how much you can reduce the appearance of your burn scar! And when in doubt, always check in with your doctor to make sure your scars are healing properly.