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First-degree burns

Very low urgency
Common-

A first-degree burn is a lesion that affects the most superficial layer of the skin, the epidermis.

It is caused by thermal, electrical, chemical or radiation trauma. 

It manifests with redness, pain and hypersensitivity of the exposed skin area.

Diagnosis is made by clinical history and physical examination of the area.  

Treatment is based on removing clothing and jewelry, cooling the area by exposing it to room temperature or with cool water and treating the pain with analgesia if necessary. 

Bibliographic references
  1. Phillip L Rice, Jr, MD. Dennis P Orgill, MD, PhD. Classification of burns. UpToDate, Aug 11, 2016.
  2. Arek Wiktor, MD, David Richards, MD, FACEP. Treatment of minor thermal burns. UpToDate, Sep 17, 2015.
  3. Summer GJ, Puntillo KA, Miaskowski C, et al. Burn injury pain: the continuing challenge. J Pain 2007; 8:533.
  4. http://ameriburn.org/who-we-are/media/burn-incidence-fact-sheet/ (Accessed on June 21, 2018).
  5. Luis Miguel Gallego Torromé, Silvia Honorato Guerra, Domingo García Almagro. Quemaduras. Manual de protocolos y actuación en urgencias. Hospital Virgen de la Salud, Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo. Tercera edición. 2010. Páginas: 1191-1196.
  6. Efectos nocivos causados por la luz y las radiaciones. Farreras Rozman. Medicina Interna. Volumen II. Duodécima edición. Páginas: 2574 - 2580.
Author
Dr. Oscar Garcia-Esquirol
Copyright
© TeckelMedical 2026

Symptoms

    Reddening of the skin due to sun exposure

    Burn

    Feeling of burning on the skin

    Reddened skin

    Skin sensitive to contact, pain to the slightest touch

Symptoms to watch out for

Burn involving hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks.
Burns that cause the skin to look rough or charred
Burns caused by chemical substances or electricity
A feeling of shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
Wound with signs of infection (warmth, redness, painful sensation, fever, swelling)

Self-care

Remove garments that are not burned or stuck to the skin.
Apply cold water in small areas for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cover with a clean, dry sheet.
Take over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatories.
Maintain a fluid intake of 6 - 8 cups per day.
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