Chemical burns occur when the eyes, nose, mouth, or skin are damaged by contact with a chemical. These injuries can occur as a result of direct contact with chemicals or with their fumes. Both industrial and household chemicals can cause serious burns to humans and animals. While there are not many deaths from chemical burns, it is possible. Chemical burns will continue to have an impact on the body after the initial contact, and can even cause problems in the body if not treated immediately. Providing information about what happened and how much of the chemical you were exposed to can help your doctor determine the best treatment options. Chemical burns are an emergency, so you should always call the emergency department. You may also contact the Poisoning Information Center (Siker) by telephone (021) 4250767 or (021) 4227875. If your skin is exposed to chemicals, there are several things you can immediately do to treat it.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Treating Chemical Burns
Step 1. Keep victim away from chemicals
If the chemical is still potentially hazardous, be sure to keep the victim away from the area of exposure. For example, if the chemical is emitting smoke, or if the victim is at risk of splashing the chemical, take him or her to another room or outside.
- Be sure to protect yourself while helping a chemical burn victim. For example, you may need to wear long-sleeved clothing, gloves, a mask, protective eyewear, or other protective equipment to avoid similar injuries.
- If any dry chemical is still on the victim's skin, remove it before rinsing with water.
Step 2. Remove clothing or jewelry from around the burn
If the victim is wearing clothing, jewelry, or other objects that are contaminated with chemicals and/or make it difficult for you to access the wound, be sure to remove the object before providing treatment.
If left unchecked, these objects have the potential to make the wound worse. You should also be able to access the burn to remove any residual chemicals and rinse with water
Step 3. Wash the burn thoroughly
If you have a chemical burn, you must first dilute the chemical that caused it. This is the best thing you can do to treat a chemical burn immediately. To do this, rinse the burn and the surrounding skin area with plenty of water. The water you use should be cool. Let the water run over the burn for 10 minutes or more.
- Do not use a high-pressure stream of water to rinse the skin. Water pressure that is too high will make the burn worse by pushing the chemicals deeper into the skin. Just rinse the burn with running water slowly for a few moments.
- Some cases of chemical burns should not be rinsed with water. These cases include burns caused by quicklime (calcium oxide), metallic elements, and phenols because when mixed with water, these chemicals will react exothermicly (give off heat) and/or release harmful byproducts.
Step 4. Apply a clean and sterile bandage
After the burn is cleaned, you may need to protect it with a clean, sterile bandage such as gauze. This layer will help protect the wound.
If the wound is painful, applying a cold compress may also be helpful. Wet a clean washcloth with cold water, then apply it to the wound to cool and soothe it
Step 5. Use over-the-counter pain relievers
To relieve some burn pain, using over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may help. However, for severe pain, you may need a prescription pain reliever.
Seek immediate medical attention if the burn causes severe pain
Step 6. Get vaccinated against tetanus
Tetanus vaccination is often recommended for burn victims. If the victim has not been vaccinated against tetanus for a long time, he or she may need a repeat vaccination. Tetanus vaccination is usually given every 10 years.
Method 2 of 3: Seeking Medical Help
Step 1. Seek medical attention when dealing with severe burns
If you have a chemical burn, you should seek immediate medical attention. Call the emergency department, or 112 if the burn victim exhibits any of the following serious symptoms:
- Pale skin
- Faint
- Shallow breath
- Burns that are quite extensive, for example 8 cm or more in diameter
- Burns around the soles of the feet, face, eyes, groin, buttocks, or major joints of the body.
Step 2. Call the Poison Information Center
You may also contact a nearby Poisons Information Center if the burn is not too severe. If you know the compound that causes it, have that information ready. The telephone operator will provide special care steps for chemicals that injure you. If you do not know the causative compound, you should still contact the Poisons Information Center. The phone operator will ask questions to find out the cause.
- If your burn is serious, and you were taken to a hospital before calling the Poisons Information Center, make sure that someone at the hospital calls him to find out what next steps are to take. Doctors should know the basics of burn care, but the Poisons Information Center can provide more detailed information.
- This information will be very useful because some compounds must be left exposed to air, while others must be covered with an airtight and watertight bandage.
Step 3. Get treatment for severe burns
After arriving at the hospital, you will undergo a variety of treatments depending on the severity of the wound. If your blisters are extensive or there are areas that need cleaning, painkillers will be given and your burn will be cleaned. In the meantime, minor blisters may be left.
The burn will then be smeared with Silvadene cream using a wooden spatula. Next, 4x4 gauze will be applied to protect the wound. A roll of gauze will also be placed around the burn
Step 4. Seek emergency care for chemical burns to the eye
Chemical burns to the eye, known as ocular burns, are so serious that you should call 112 immediately. You should also rinse your eyes with plenty of water as soon as possible to dilute the chemical that causes the burn. This step will also help prevent permanent damage to the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye that could potentially lead to blindness.
- Chemical burns to the eye caused by acids or bases require emergency care and treatment. If you don't get it, you run the risk of permanent vision loss.
- In the case of an ocular burn, you may be referred to an ophthalmologist for an examination of eye acuity and the extent of damage to the eye.
- Several studies have shown that rinsing the eyes with water gives good results against ocular burns due to acid compounds. The use of steroid eye drops, vitamin C, and antibiotics also helps heal the eye.
Step 5. Watch the progress of the burn
You should continue to follow the treatment guidelines recommended by your doctor to prevent infection or complications. Nevertheless, these two risks are still possible. So, you should observe a few things after a burn. Watch for signs of infection such as widespread redness of the skin, fever, discharge of pus, or green discharge. If any of these occur, you should seek emergency help immediately.
- Continue treatment with a doctor or poison specialist if necessary. Some toxic materials can be absorbed by the skin and cause systemic poisoning. Meanwhile, inhaled vapors can cause systemic poisoning as well as lung problems such as asthma. Meanwhile, some other inhaled compounds can be fatal.
- If you have diabetes, are on steroids, are undergoing chemotherapy, or have a weakened immune system due to certain conditions, you are at risk of developing an infection so you should watch out for signs very carefully.
- You should check the burn daily as well as clean and change the bandage. Depending on the type of burn, your skin should begin to peel and be replaced with new ones within 10-14 days.
Method 3 of 3: Knowing the Type of Burn
Step 1. Consider the type of burn
There are two types of chemical burns. Some burns are alkaline, such as those from fertilizer solutions, drain and pipe cleaners, ammonia, and batteries. This chemical is very dangerous.
Although feared, acid burns, such as those caused by hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid, are much less toxic
Step 2. Identify second-degree burns
There are two types of second-degree burns. The first type is a surface burn. These burns are characterized by redness and damage to the entire outermost layer and part of the second layer of skin. These burns result in blisters and soreness, which is a good sign. Surface burns may appear reddened and bleed. However, it usually recovers without scarring within 2 weeks.
- You can also get a deep second degree burn. In this case, the damage occurs until it reaches the dermis layer. These burns no longer look red, but instead white, which indicates damage to the blood vessels to interfere with circulation. This burn will not hurt because the nerves are also damaged. Your skin may or may not blister. This wound healing takes more than 2 weeks and is likely to leave scars.
- If a deep second degree burn occurs in a joint, the scar will affect the range of motion of the body connected to that joint.
Step 3. Study third-degree burns
These burns are the most severe and cause the longest damage. Third-degree burns cause damage to the upper and lower layers of the skin, just like any other burn, but extend to the subcutaneous tissue. Damage to this layer of tissue causes it to look like leather. To restore this burn, surgery is needed.
You may undergo debridement or a skin transplant
Tips
- Prevention is the main step in handling chemicals. Strong acids and cleaning solutions are harsh chemicals. So, rubber gloves and eye protection should always be used. Don't underestimate the impact chemicals have on your body, eyes, nose, mouth and skin.
- All chemical packages contain a toll-free information service telephone number.
- Information on the potential impact of contact and exposure of certain chemicals on humans is also listed in the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
