It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Brambling

I remember my mum saying put butter on a burn probably the 70s but i learnt in school in the late 70s in a first aid talk to put under cold running water as long as possible until the pain stop.  I think the rule then not sure if it still is,  was if it was bigger than the palm of the hand (the hand of the person with the burn) than seek medical advice

weenancyinAmerica

I was told to use cold tea on a sunburn instead of putting any cream on it, because putting on anything creamy would just hold the heat in and make it burn more. Same principal with the cold water - you want to stop the heat, not keep it in.

CKhalvashi

weenancyinAmerica said:

I was told to use cold tea on a sunburn instead of putting any cream on it, because putting on anything creamy would just hold the heat in and make it burn more. Same principal with the cold water - you want to stop the heat, not keep it in.

A cold-ish shower with no gels/soaps works well. I do follow by cream on the rare occasion, but definitely it's not necessary.

maryb

Lavender oil is good for burns after you've cooled it down

euronorris

Put burns under cool/lukewarm water for a minimum of 20 minutes (or until the pain has stopped). 

Seeking medical attention depends on a) what type of burn (electrical and chemical always need medical attention) b) severity of burn (superficial burns can often be treated at home) c) location of burn (eyes, face or airways need immediate attention/ambulance) and d) size of burn (more than 5% of body surface area needs attention - this roughly equates to the size of your hand). 

Good practice to get children seen with any burn.

ETA: St John's Ambulance have an app that gives info on providing first aid. Handy to have and well recommended.

annieb64

I worked in a jam factory in the mid 1970s and got boiling jam on my hand when a machine went wrong. The supervisor held my hand under the cold tap for ages and it didn't even blister.

Nargleblast

A handy tip for anyone who has a burn large enough to warrant going to hospital. Cover it if possible with clingfilm. That will protect it in transit, it will be a clean, hygienic  form of dressing, and it won't stick like fabric does. It can be removed easily by the medics without causing pain or further trauma.

Woolsery

Nargleblast said:

 It can be removed easily by the medics without causing pain or further trauma.

5 hours later? That's how long my friend waited in A&E two weeks ago.

CKhalvashi

Nargleblast said:

A handy tip for anyone who has a burn large enough to warrant going to hospital. Cover it if possible with clingfilm. That will protect it in transit, it will be a clean, hygienic  form of dressing, and it won't stick like fabric does. It can be removed easily by the medics without causing pain or further trauma.

Interesting tip.

The only time I've personally really burned badly was actually in Albania, and while my face and arms decided to go brown, it was the back around shoulders that were the problem.

One thing that worked well on that occasion (as Mary mentioned lavender oil) was aloe vera.

London_1

Reading the news this morning it seems the energy bills are going to be higher than first thought at around £3k a year  !!!!, hope we don't have a cold winter and I will be digging out some more throws for the sofa

JackieO xx