How to treat a burn

Burns are the result of skin injury caused by high-temperature substances. The key to treating burns lies in rapid cooling and infection prevention. Below are the steps for burn management: 1. **Immediate cooling**: Place the affected area under cool running water or apply a cold compress immediately. This can effectively reduce pain and suppress the inflammatory response. Note that ice or extremely cold water should be avoided to prevent further damage. 2. **Clean the wound**: After cooling, gently clean the burned area. Use sterile cotton balls during cleaning to prevent infection, and keep the affected area dry. 3. **Avoid breaking blisters**: Do not intentionally peel off any formed blisters. Blisters protect the injured skin, and breaking them may increase the risk of infection. If a blister does break, keep the wound clean and follow medical advice for dressing the wound. 4. **Lightly cover the wound**: Depending on the severity of the burn, the wound can be loosely covered with a non-adhesive clean gauze or sterile dressing. Avoid using adhesive tape, as it may cause further skin damage. 5. **Apply medication**: After cleaning, apply burn ointments such as moisturizing burn cream or other prescribed medications under medical guidance. These treatments effectively protect the burned area from further injury.