[2.4] Burns

• burns


  injury in which the skin and sometimes underlying tissue as well as damaged by extremes in temperature, caustic chemicals, electric current, or radiation
• superficial burn

  • limited to the most superficial layers of skin
  • redness and pain
  • blanching on pressure
  • usually, heals in a week without complication
• partial thickness burn

  • damage to both the epidermis and dermis
  • looks mottled or red, swollen, and somewhat wet
  • blanching on pressure
  • blister formation
  • very painful
  • if kept clean and free of infection, healing usually occurs in 2-3 weeks
• full thickness burn

  • involve damage to or destruction of the full thickness of skin and sometimes underlying tissues as well
  • skin looks charred, leathery, or pearly gray
  • do not blanch on pressure
  • has a “burn smell”
  • insensitive to painful stimuli
  • hairs pull out easily with no pain
  • if a large area is involved, it usually requires skin grafts and takes months to years to heal
  • a small area requires weeks
• dentures


  removable oral appliances that replace missing teeth
• blanch


  make white or pale by extracting color
• epidermis

  • the outermost layer of skin on your body.
  • it protects you from harm such as UV radiation, pathogens, and chemicals
• dermis

  • the middle layer of skin in your body.
  • it protects your body from harm, supports your epidermis, and produces sweat and hair
• skin grafts


  a patch of skin that is removed by surgery from one area of the body and transplanted, or attached to another area