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The NHS says 15 to 30 minutes under cool running water, then cling film laid over — not wrapped. The folk remedies people reach for make burns worse.
Almost everything people traditionally put on a burn makes it worse. The only thing that helps in the first half hour is water, and more of it than most people use.
What to do
Stop the burning. Remove the source of heat. Cool the burn under cool running water for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the pain eases. Bottled water works if there is no tap.
Remove clothing and jewellery near the burn — but do not remove anything that is stuck to it. Pulling fabric off a burn takes skin with it. Rings and watches come off early, before swelling makes it impossible.
Cover it once cooled. The NHS says to lay cling film over the burn, and specifically not to wrap it around. Wrapping constricts as the area swells. A layer laid over the surface keeps it clean and reduces pain from air movement.
Treat the pain with paracetamol or ibuprofen.
What not to do
No creams, oils or butter. They trap heat against the skin, which is the opposite of the goal, and they have to be cleaned off before anyone can assess the burn.
No plasters or sticky dressings. They adhere to damaged skin and removing them causes further injury.
Do not burst blisters. The blister is a sterile cover over the surface underneath. Opening it opens a route for infection.
Not ice. Cool running water, not ice or iced water — very cold applied directly to damaged tissue causes further injury.
When to get help
The NHS lists the circumstances for 999 or A&E: burns that are very large or deep, burns on the face, genitals or bottom, and burns caused by acid, chemicals or electricity.
Add two practical ones. Any burn on a baby or young child should be seen. And an electrical burn can be far more serious internally than the mark on the skin suggests, because the current travels through tissue between entry and exit.
As it heals
An emollient ointment helps if the area becomes itchy and dry while healing. Keep it out of the sun.
Signs of infection — increasing pain, spreading redness, swelling, discharge, fever — mean it needs to be looked at rather than waited out.
- How long should you run cold water on a burn?
- The NHS says 15 to 30 minutes under cool running water, or until the pain feels better. Bottled water can be used if there is no running water.
- What should you put on a burn?
- Nothing but water while cooling. Once the burn has cooled, the NHS says to lay cling film over it — laid on, not wrapped around. Do not use creams, oils or butter, and do not use plasters or sticky dressings.
- Should you burst a burn blister?
- No. The NHS says not to burst any blisters.
- When is a burn an emergency?
- The NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E if the burn is very large or deep, is on the face, genitals or bottom, or was caused by acid, chemicals or electricity.
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Bu kaynaklara göre doğrulama tarihi: 20 August 2026
