Fourth of July is upon us and as we celebrate we take on many American traditions. We celebrate the freedoms we have aspired and fought for as a melting pot of world culture, ideologies and perspectives. We enjoy each other as we eat, drink and do stupid s#!t.
In celebration I would like to share a quick summary on burns and some natural remedies.
· First-degree burns: Red and painful, first-degree burns tend to swell slightly and turn white when you apply pressure to the skin.
· Second-degree burns: Typically producing blisters, second degree are thicker, very painful, and may cause the skin to turn red, splotchy, and swollen.
· Third-degree burns: A type of burn that damages all layers of the skin, third-degree burns leave the skin white or charred. Due to damage to the nerves and tissue, third-degree burns may cause little or no pain. Go to the hospital for these; do not pass go, do not collect $200 and maybe don’t finish that beer.
Aloe Vera has a traditional history of treating burns, and have been shown in several studies to be safe to treat first- and second-degree burns. They help increase wound closure and blood flow in comparison to other commonly used remedies like petroleum jelly, nitrofurazone 2% and more.
Several studies show that applying honey to burned skin may help promote healing for first- and second-degree burns by blunting the inflammatory response. Make sure to have medical grade to ensure there are no pollutants or other contaminants.
Plantain is another amazing herb as you can find it anywhere! It is not only effective for first- and second-degree burns, but it also helps with the pain and helps to kill bacteria.
When assessing a burn be aware of
-any burn larger than the palm of your hand or, obviously, genitals.
-any burns to the face, hands and feet
-any burns in the extremes of ages, i.e . young or old
-electrical burns
-any full thickness or 3rd degree burn.
Happy freedom day, ‘Mericuh!
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Scepankova H, Combarros-Fuertes P, Fresno JM, Tornadijo ME, Dias MS, Pinto CA, Saraiva JA, Estevinho LM. Role of Honey in Advanced Wound Care. Molecules. 2021 Aug 7;26(16):4784. doi: 10.3390/molecules26164784. PMID: 34443372; PMCID: PMC8398244.
