A burn is an injury to the skin, and sometimes to underlying tissues, caused by contact with heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation or friction. Severe loss of skin can lead to infection and loss of the skin’s functions such as thermoregulation and immunity.

The majority of burns (95%) are of thermal origin (heat burns). Severely burnt patients will need to be treated in a special burns unit.

SEVERITY

The prognosis in terms of life or death depends on the extent of the burn. The prognosis in terms of function depends on the depth, extent and the location of the burn.

The extent of burns to the total skin surface can be estimated fairly accurately in adults using the Wallace’s Rule of Nines.

WALLACE RULE OF NINES

Each body part is considered to account for 9% of the skin’s surface area:

• Head and neck total for front and back: 9%
• Each upper limb total for front and back: 9%
• Thorax and abdomen front: 18%
• Thorax and abdomen back: 18%
• Perineum: 1%
• Each lower limb total for front and back: 18%

TYPES OF BURNS

BY CAUSAL AGENT

Heat burns / Thermal burns

Electrical burns

Chemical burns

BY DEGREE

FIRST-DEGREE BURNS:

First-degree burns (superficial burns)

SECOND-DEGREE BURNS:

Superficial partial thickness

Deep dermal

Third-degree burns (full thickness)

HEALING

• First-degree burns usually heal within 2 to 3days.
• Second-degree burns usually heal in 2 to 4 weeks.
• Third-degree burns usually take a very long time to heal