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First-degree burn

Very low urgency
Common-

A first-degree burn is an injury to the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis.

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

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

Diagnosis is based on the patient's medical history and physical examination of the area.

Treatment is based on removing clothing and jewellery, cooling the area by exposing it to room temperature or fresh water, and treating the pain with analgesics 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

    Burning sensation on the skin

    Reddened skin

    Skin sensitive to contact, pain to the slightest touch

Symptoms to watch out for

Burn that involves hands, feet, face, groin, glutes.
Burns that make the skin look rough or with a charred appearance
Burns caused by chemical substances or electricity
A feeling of shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
Wound with signs of infection (heat, reddening, painful sensation, fever, swelling)

Self-care

Remove unburned and unbonded garments.
Apply cold water in small areas for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cover with a dry and clean sheet.
Consume over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatories.
Maintain hydration of 2 litres per day.
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