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Burns: first aid

Emergency numbers differ by country. This page uses 911, the number for the United States and Canada. Many other countries use 112, 999, or another number. Find the number for your country.

Burns come from heat, hot liquid, chemicals, electricity and fire. This page shows you how to cool and cover a burn, and when it needs emergency care.

Do this now

  1. Move the person away from the source of the burn. If clothing is on fire, stop, drop and roll, or smother the flames with a blanket.
  2. Cool the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Start as soon as you can.
  3. Take off rings, watches, and tight clothing near the burn before it swells. Do not pull off anything that is stuck to the skin.
  4. Cover the burn loosely with cling film, or a clean, non fluffy dressing.
  5. Call your local emergency number if the burn is serious (911 in the United States and Canada, 112 across the European Union, 999 in the United Kingdom).

Cool the burn

Use cool or lukewarm running water, not ice cold. Keep the burned area under the stream for a full 20 minutes. This reduces pain, limits damage and helps healing, even if some time has passed. Cooling helps up to three hours after the burn, according to UK health guidance.

If there is no tap, use a shower, a clean bottle, or a bucket of cool water. Cool the burn and keep the rest of the body warm. This matters most for babies, children and older people, who can get cold quickly when a large area is wet.

Cover it loosely

After cooling, cover the burn with a layer of cling film laid lengthways, not wrapped tightly around a limb. A clean plastic bag works for a hand or foot. If you have no film, use a clean cloth that does not shed fibers.

Covering keeps the burn clean and reduces pain from air on the skin. Do not wrap it tightly, because the area can swell.

What not to do

  • Do not use ice or iced water, which can damage the skin more.
  • Do not put butter, oil, toothpaste or creams on a burn.
  • Do not burst blisters. They protect the skin underneath.
  • Do not remove clothing that has stuck to the burn.
  • Do not use fluffy cotton wool or a towel that leaves fibers in the burn.

When to call emergency services

Call your local emergency number if:

  • the burn is large, bigger than the person's hand
  • it is deep, or looks white, brown, black or leathery
  • it is on the face, hands, feet, genitals or over a joint
  • it goes all the way around a limb
  • the person is a baby, a young child or an older adult
  • the person breathed in smoke or hot air, or is having trouble breathing
  • it was caused by chemicals or electricity

For smaller burns that blister, or do not heal within a few days, see a health professional.

Chemical burns

  1. Make sure you are safe. Wear gloves if you can, and do not touch the chemical.
  2. Brush off any dry powder first.
  3. Remove contaminated clothing and jewelry, without pulling it over the face.
  4. Flush the skin with plenty of running water for at least 20 minutes. If a chemical got in the eye, rinse the eye with clean water while the person holds the eyelid open.
  5. Call your local emergency number, and tell them what the chemical was. Keep the container or label to show responders. In the United States, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.

Electrical burns

Do not touch the person until the power is off

Turn off the power at the source, or switch off at the breaker. If you cannot, stand clear and call for help. Never touch a person who is still in contact with electricity, and stay far away from downed power lines.

Once the power is off, call your local emergency number even if the injury looks small. Electricity can burn deep inside the body and affect the heart. If the person is not responding and not breathing normally, start CPR. Cool any visible burns as described above.

Take a course

A Red Cross or similar first aid course teaches you to treat burns and other injuries with practice, and it is good preparation for the next emergency.