Northwest Burn Foundation

    Northwest Burn
    Foundation:

    1515 NW 52nd St.
    Suite A
    Seattle, WA 98107

    Phone:
    206-789-6838

    Toll Free:
    1-888-NOBURNS
    1-888-662-8767

Burn Facts

What is a burn?
A burn is an injury to the skin, and sometimes other organs, from contact with heat, radiation, electricity or chemicals.
Did you know that 1.5 million burns occur in the United States and Canada annually? Burns are the second leading cause of accidental death to children under age five. Nearly 24,000 children are treated in hospital emergency departments every year for scald injuries alone.*

*National Safe Kids Campaign

Burn Characteristics

Superficial (first degree) burns

Causes: sunburn, minor scalds
Heals in 3-5 days with no scarring

Characteristics

minor damage to the skin
pink to red
painful
skin is dry with blisters

Partial Thickness (second degree) burns

Damages, but does not destroy, top two layers of skin
Heals in 10-21 days

Characteristics

skin moist, wet and weepy
blisters present
bright pink to red

Full Thickness (third degree) burns

Destroys all layers of the skin
May involve fat, muscle or bone
Will require skin grafts

Characteristics

dry -- no blisters
bright pink to red
waxy white
tan or brown
insensate