Any Advice on Healing Burns and Pain Management
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So being the muppet I am, I was totally distracted pulling out the air fryer drawer and I put my left hand on the side of the drawer. I've got a blister on my index finger, one trying to form on my thumb and the middle finger is very red. Never had a proper burn before. Can't really use my left hand much. I do have some aloe vera. Is that a good idea? I've taken pain killers. Any tips on how to heal quickly as I'm ambidextrous and I use my left hand a lot.
Oh, bless you, it sounds awfully painful. I did a quick search and aloe vera is fine as long as it's not an open wound & isn't severe. You could try it if you don't have anything else on hand to ease the pain/promote healing.
I haven't tried aloe vera on anything severe before but the cooling/moisturising effect doesn't seem to last long for me but science says it does promote healing etc.
If you have savlon or other similar antiseptic, I'd think that might help better/more quickly, especially since you've very recently burnt it & the growing blister sounds super painful.
It seems savlon also has a separate burns cream but their normal one says it can be for minor cuts/burns/blisters etc, so it's better in case your blister pops.
I'm pretty sure other antiseptic cream brands would be the same if you don't want savlon.
hky It was so painful at first I was trying not to cry. There's a slight throb to my index finger now with a blister, but the other fingers have stopped hurting, just a little pink. I might put some aloe vera on it later on when I've finished working for the day so I don't rub it off. Hard not to use my left hand.
Be careful putting any creams on a recent burn, they have the effect of continuing the burn. New burns should be put under a running cold tap.
DPK My hand was under the tap for about 30 mins as every time I took my hand out the pain went through the roof. Haven't put anything on it yet.
You may want to follow NHS guidance in the first instance then consider using Aloe Vera (one with no added ingredients like alcohol or fragrances that may irritate the skin). Can be effective for treating burns as it contains anti-inflammatory properties (helps reduce swelling and redness). Also promotes skin healing/regeneration. Has a soothing effect, making the skin feel more comfortable while it recovers. Get well soon! https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/burns-and-scalds/
Consumer I've got tube of organic aloe vera gel by the brand Aloe Pura which I just happen to have as part of my home first aid supplies. Haven't used it before. Might be using that one later on. Thanks for replying.
I've done that inside the draw, completely forgot it was hot like a numpty and grabbed the inside of the tray I learnt that lesson and made sure I never forgot again. My brain just didn't function at the time
xKJG93 I'm not going to do that again. My mind was going in so many places and I just zoned out and forgot what I was doing.
Sherrifffroggy I was at my mom's at the time when I did, I grabbed the inside of the draw and my brother goes what are you doing like you I think I just zoned out and I think you just completely forget sometimes
If you haven't already got one I suggest having a burns kit at home (I got one from Home Bargains). They are really handy and the gel is really soothing especially inside the bandages. I can't recommend them enough and they definitely help with the healing process. You can also get the burns plasters from places like Boots which helps.
Swimmer94 I did put some aloe vera on last night. I should look into a burns kit. I've got a lot of meds just in case but never have I bought a burns kit. Thanks for the suggestion.
Pjran I'm surprised how healed up my hand is today, even though my index finger still has the blister. The other fingers looks fine now.
Sherrifffroggy that’s wonderful. The burn obviously wasn’t too deep. My husband constantly burns himself on our airfryer even though I bought tongs.
Burns are so painful, so I really feel for you.
If it's still so painful after many hours, I agree with Pjran that you should seek medical advice. The rule of thumb for adults is a burn the size of your hand (or a 10p for a child), but as it's still sore after being treated with cool water, a word with a nurse wouldn't go amiss.
AlysonC The only finger today with any sign of a burn is the index finger with blister, but I'm typing with both hands right now. There's no pain on that blister. The other fingers healed over night. I'm surprised how fast my hand recovered considering how much it hurt.
Sherrifffroggy I'm glad to hear that. The body is quite amazing how quickly it can heal, and that blister is healing away underneath that fluid.
AlysonC Today the blister has gone! It's been reabsorbed into the skin. It didn't pop. Over night it sunk back in. Yes, my body healed this up much faster than I thought it would.
I know it sounds strange but the fact that it hurts is good. Serious burns don't hurt as the nerves are dead. At this point just keep it protected don't want infections
Imnotcheap Oh the nerves were definitely working yesterday! As this was my first proper burn, I didn't know what to expect. Apart from the Index finger blister, there's no sign of any marks on any of the other fingers or thumb today. Maybe it wasn't as bad as it felt
Sherrifffroggy I've burnt myself on ovens, air frier, ect many times when distracted over the years. Its often the initial shock
Last time my son caught me swearing. I never use bad language in front of my children. He thought it must have been his dad
Imnotcheap I've been very lucky over the years. Gotten splashed with hot water and that's about it. Even when my frying pan caught on fire earlier this year, I just turned the gas off calmly and the pan stopped burning and I had sink full of washing up, so I got my oven gloves on and put it in the sink and then when it cool threw it away as something had obviously gone wrong with it (it was old) and got a new one. My 1st ever burn

Sherrifffroggy lucky you.
I scolded myself making popcorn on Monday. Not serious. It was really inconvenient
Seems as though yu've done the right things by taking over the counter pain keillers and keep it covered loosely. Hope you feel better soon and manage to get some sleep tonight
TiaTia It's 99% recovered. I wondered how long it would take being my 1st proper burn but nope it was healed up really quickly. Thank you
Burns are painful. Run under cold water at first and maybe protect it with a bandage or large plaster loosely to keep it clean. I wouldn't put any creams on as can make it worse. Just need to wait to heal naturally.
Go see a dr or the chemist. Best thing you can do is leave it. These things can't be rushed. I'm always burning myself not badly.
Jerseydrew My hand has bounced back extremely fast. The skin of my index finger at the top is now a bit dry and the blister got reabsorbed into the skin. Apart from that my hand is now recovered. I was surprised how fast it all healed.
Bit late now, but run under a cold tap for at least 20 minutes, put ice or cool pack in a tea towel and keep on the burn, when it stops burning wrap in cling film until it has a fresh layer of skin has formed. Change the cling film daily or when it gets dirty. This aids healing and prevents scarring.
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