Dressings for burns: basic rules, application instructions, how often to change

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In most cases, only the top layer of skin is damaged during a burn, therefore the use of modern materials in treatment, including sterile dressings, speeds up the healing process and makes life easier for the patient. The application and removal of bandages for burns is carried out according to certain rules in order to obtain maximum benefit from the procedure.

How to apply a bandage for damaged skin

• Modern types of materials Why there is a need for new materials
• The benefits of new treatments

Modern types of materials

Any type of burn needs proper treatment with antiseptic agents, possibly pain relief and protection from infection entering the wound.

For such purposes, special dressings are applied to the wound surface, which have the following properties:

• protection of the wound from penetration of pathogenic microorganisms;
• antiseptic treatment;
• moisturizing the wound;
• anesthesia;
• acceleration of regeneration of damaged tissues;
• local effect of a medicinal substance to accelerate healing.

During manipulation, various medications are used to disinfect and treat damaged skin. As a rule, the procedure is carried out in a medical institution, where sterile dressing conditions are provided and high-quality components are selected.

Important! Often the victim does not have the opportunity to immediately seek medical help; in such cases, special ready-made products may be needed to protect against germs, which you should have in your home medicine cabinet.

First aid for thermal or chemical damage to the skin

Why is there a need for new materials?

A big disadvantage of products made from sterile gauze or bandage is the acute pain during the procedure for replacing them. Such materials adhered tightly to the wound surface and further injured it. Another disadvantage is the low sorption capacity, so the wound can remain moist for a long time and takes longer to heal.

The benefits of new treatments

New high-quality sterile materials are replacing old methods.

Such products have a number of advantages.

1. Cotton fabric, a polymer base, adhesive tape and other sterile and easy-to-use substances are used as dressings.
2. The composition of the products includes medications with an antiseptic effect, antibiotics, and painkillers.
3. Modern preparations can easily maintain an acceptable level of moisture in the burned area of ​​the skin.
4. Any remedy has two sides. On the sterile side there is a medicinal substance, and on the other there is a convenient fixing material.

Local treatment for burns

Basic Rules

The burn dressing is treated with solutions that achieve the following results:

• surface disinfection;
• moisturizing the skin;
• accelerated recovery;
• anesthesia;
• the antibacterial properties of the antiseptic are manifested.

Before using burn remedies, read the list of recommendations. The application rules for burns are as follows:

• Complete sterility is maintained. A bandage is usually used to secure the patch. It must be clean, preferably from a new package that has not yet been opened. This will eliminate the risk of penetration of pathogenic microorganisms;
• You can only apply a bandage to a burn wound of mild or moderate severity. It is forbidden to apply any pressure to a severe burn. In this case, the fabric may stick and be difficult to remove;
• It is permissible to apply wet antiseptic dressings only after treating the surface of the affected area with disinfectants. A healing ointment is also applied before use.

Types of dressings and their purpose

When making products, the degree of the burn, its area and the characteristics of the healing process, its main stages, are taken into account.

Today, a bandage for burns is selected depending on the purpose of treatment.

Branolide for the treatment of damaged skin

Hydrogel-based products

How to use for burns

To get the maximum benefit from the procedure, you must follow the rules for applying dressings.

1. First of all, the factor causing the burn is eliminated. Also, if you have clothes or shoes in a sore spot, you must carefully remove excess items from the damaged area. If the fabric is stuck to the skin, it should not be removed under any circumstances, but only cut off the clothing around the wound as carefully as possible.
2. Next, the burned skin is cooled with running cold water. Cooling and pain relief are thus effective in the first 30 minutes after injury and prevent swelling and reduce the possible negative consequences of pathology. Along with the effect of cold water, the patient is offered analgesics for severe pain.

Types of dressings for wound treatment

Next, anti-burn dressings are applied to the affected area, not extending beyond the wound by more than 2 cm.

The rules of application are as follows:

1. You should wash your hands thoroughly and treat them with an antiseptic.
2. The burn surface is pre-cleaned and disinfected.
3. Sterile dressing material is cut to the size of the wound.
4. The protective layer is removed.
5. The product is carefully applied to the skin 2 cm around the damaged area.
6. If there is an ointment with an antiseptic, analgesic effect, it is applied under the dressing to the wound area.
7. Next, you will need to secure the bandage with a plaster or bandage.

The procedure is not performed for 3rd or 4th degree burns, or for injuries in the facial area. Difficulties in implementation arise precisely when determining the degree of burn.

The manipulation is carried out if the skin only turns red at the first stage or small blisters appear as a sign of the second degree of injury. In other cases, emergency medical care cannot be avoided.

Bandage removal procedure

It is important not only to choose the right product to protect the wound surface, but also to change the product in time. The time to change the bandage differs from the stage of the disease and the total area of ​​the burn. Typically, the dressing is changed every 48 hours. It is better not to cover the treated wound with clothing, but to leave air access. It is recommended to examine the sore spot every day.

If there is an unpleasant odor, the color has changed, or pus or blood is leaking from the wound, you should immediately visit a doctor. You cannot change the material yourself, especially when it has dried out, when changing the bandage is accompanied by severe pain. In such cases, sensitive skin is very easily injured.

During the procedure, the specialist assesses the condition of the burn, gives recommendations for caring for the affected area, and answers the question of whether it is possible to apply a bandage to the burn and how long the treatment will last.

Important! If there is no improvement within 2 weeks, you may need a change in treatment and additional examination by a doctor.

Treating burns at home

Bandage removal procedure

If, when changing the anti-burn dressing, you notice that the bandage has become strongly stuck to the wound, do not tear it off by force. Not only will it be very painful and the burn site will bleed with renewed vigor, but there is a risk of infection. Wetting with an antiseptic will help the bandage come off. Wait until the fabric gets wet and begins to peel away from the skin, and only then remove the bandage.

On average, a moderate burn wound heals within 2 weeks. If this does not happen, and the situation worsens, immediately consult a doctor and begin treating the burn in a hospital setting.

Antiseptic dressings

An important stage of first aid and further successful treatment is antiseptic treatment of the wound surface for pathology of any degree. Burn dressings containing antiseptic substances have a disinfecting effect, destroy germs and prevent serious complications of injury.

Today you can find many types of such products in any pharmacy. This widespread use in burn therapy is explained by the high risk of infection after injury. The best choice is considered to be products with silver, iodine, but without ethyl alcohol.

Miramistin

The drug is used to treat the skin and is active against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, as well as fungal infections.

Argakol

The gel-like coating for the wound includes antiseptic substances and protein hydrolyzate. When applied to the skin, it forms a protective film and has a powerful anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect. It is used as an independent product and simultaneously with a dressing material.

Chlorhexidine

Chlorhexidine is often prescribed as an antiseptic. A sterile bandage for a burn with this medicinal substance will prevent infection of the wound.

Acerbin

A medicated spray solution is used to clean the wound before applying any dressing. Due to the lack of direct contact with the skin, it is easy to use.

Do I need to apply a bandage to the injured area? The modern quality of dressing material is very high, so the product has many advantages. You should definitely have at least one of the ready-made modern drugs at home. The products do not stick to the skin and do not cause pain, as with the usual procedure for changing a bandage or gauze.

Vitavallis

The drug does not contain antibiotics or other drugs. Includes silver ions and is made of a special antimicrobial fabric.

Vitavalis in anti-burn therapy

Voskopran

A burn dressing with beeswax, methyluracil and the antibiotic levomekol is used at the granulation stage in the absence of purulent contents. The synthetic mesh does not leave any fibers in the wound surface. The application of such a product provides a long-lasting therapeutic effect.

Voskopran for wound healing

Biodespol

The transparent film of three layers consists of a special copolymer, has an antibacterial effect, and reduces pain perception.

Mepilex

If there is wound discharge, use mepilex with silver. For damage from stages 1 to 3, a special pad from this company is prescribed, which does not need to be changed for 2 weeks. A secondary dressing with special substances is only attached to the pad.

Modern wound healing dressing mepilex with silver

Aquacel extra and aquacel foam

Silver in the composition in ionic form acts on most pathogenic microorganisms. The Aquacel foam product is made using new technology using hydrofiber, which will reliably protect against external influences of moisture and pollution. What is new in this product is the use of a non-woven base and a protective layer of polyurethane foam.

How to make a bandage yourself

If you have the desire and time, you can make bandages for treating burns yourself. This is done simply. The selected medication is applied to a bandage or gauze. In this case, you need to observe the measure. The medicine should not be too much or too little.

Next, the treated tissue is applied to the burn and secured with a bandage or plaster. Typically, home remedies are used to treat small-area thermal burns of 2-3 degrees of severity.

To make a homemade dressing, you need to use only sterile materials. There are known cases when the use of a dirty bandage resulted in the amputation of a limb.

With Miramistin

Miramistin is an effective remedy for burns. A bandage soaked in it destroys pathogenic flora. The active ingredient is benzyldimethyl ammonium chloride monohydrate.

Miramistin is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. It effectively destroys pathogenic fungi. The drug is safe, so antiseptic dressings with it can be used even for children.

With Chlorhexidine

An indispensable remedy in case of extensive burns. The active substance is chlorhexidine bigluconate. Available in the form of a solution.

The drug has a bactericidal effect and prevents infection. Its mechanism of action is that it changes the cell membranes of pathogenic bacteria. The use of Chlogexidine for burns does not cause pain or discomfort.

Chlorhexidine has a low price and is sold in pharmacies without a doctor's prescription.

With Betadine

Betadine is a broad-spectrum antiseptic that contains iodine.

To make a bandage for a burn, you can use the drug in the form of a solution or ointment. Betadine destroys the protein and enzymes of pathogenic bacteria and causes their death. When Betadine is applied topically, iodine is practically not absorbed into the blood.

With Argakol

Argacol is a hydrogel. It contains poviargol, catapol and dioxidin. A bandage with this product has an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and regenerating effect. Once on the burned areas, the medicine forms an air- and water-permeable film. The drug does not irritate the skin, which is also important.

Using bandages for two weeks and no progress in recovery is a good reason to consult a doctor. A different treatment approach will likely be required.

With Acerbin

Acerbine is a drug that has an antiseptic effect. It is intended for external use and is available in the form of a spray. It contains benzoic, salicylic and malic acids, propylene glycol.

The drug is used in the treatment of burns and any other wounds and ulcerative lesions. Applying a bandage for burns will speed up tissue healing, reduce the formation of exudate and promote the formation of a crust. To treat burns you will need an ointment or spray.

With Levomekol

You can also speed up the healing process by applying bandages with Levomekol. It relieves inflammation and destroys bacteria (both gram-positive and gram-negative). Contains dioxomethyltetrahydropyrimidine (methyluracil) and the antibiotic chloramphenicol. Sold as an ointment.

Levomekol penetrates into tissues, but does not have a negative effect on biological membranes. The product stimulates regeneration. In the presence of necrotic masses and pus, the effect of the medicine remains.

With Furacilin

Furacilin is a well-known antimicrobial agent, a derivative of nitrofuran. The drug destroys gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, pathogenic fungi, viruses, and protozoa. Resistance of harmful microorganisms to the drug develops very slowly.

Dressings with Furacilin for burns are applied to prevent infection. When used externally, the medicine is practically not absorbed into the blood. To treat burns, it is recommended to buy a liquid solution.

When choosing a drug, you should not focus only on its price. A cheap drug may be effective, but an expensive one may not produce results. Only a doctor can tell you which medicine is suitable for a patient in a particular case.

General recommendations

Before carrying out the procedure, especially at home, it is better to familiarize yourself with the basic recommendations.

1. It is important to maintain sterile conditions during any type of procedure for burns.
2. When choosing a material, the degree of injury is taken into account and most often, products for external use are used for 1st and 2nd degree burns.
3. Before applying protective agents, the skin is treated with an antiseptic solution, and various ointments are also used.

A serious complication is burn disease when 5-10% of the entire surface of the body is affected, therefore proper first aid is important to prevent it.
If the injury is major, the patient must be hospitalized to eliminate shock, as well as to avoid renal and heart failure. Cases of sepsis are not uncommon, but with timely disinfection and protection from external pathogenic microorganisms, such complications will not harm human health.

Aquacel to protect skin from infection

For effective treatment and prevention of the infectious process, follow the rules for treating wounds for burns. Modern materials for dressings are very convenient and effective, and their proper use will protect the victim from many complications of the pathology.

Indications for applying a bandage for burns

In pharmacies, anti-burn dressings are presented in a large assortment and are suitable for treating wounds of varying severity. Applying bandages with medications for burns is considered a closed method of treatment. The drugs and type of dressing depend on the extent of the lesion. A closed method of therapy is necessary to achieve the following results:

• protecting the wound from secondary infection, injury and hypothermia,
• reducing the evaporation of moisture from the burn,
• medications stop the proliferation of bacteria and promote the regeneration of affected cells,
• Without a bandage applied to the wound, a patient with severe burns cannot be transported to the hospital.

When providing first aid in case of serious injuries, ointments should not be used, as they may affect the correct determination of the degree of injury and the final diagnosis.