Hot grease splatters, burns on my chest/arms/gut. Now what?
December 21, 2019 9:32 PM Subscribe
So yesterday morning I dumped some avocado oil into a pan, turned it pretty high, grabbed a steak out of its nice plastic wrap. Sadly for me, I didn't notice that chunk of meat was really, really wet. I found out when it hit that hot grease -- Surprise! -- one huge burn on right palm, maybe twenty splatter burns chest/arms/stomach, varying from 1/4 inch to an inch.
Within 12 hours all of the skin began to slough off. I spent a bit of time in the shower with clean washcloth, speeding the process along, so now all of the fried skin has exited my life, down the drain. The hand I've wrapped, a huge honkin' bandaid with bacitracin where the skin used to be, then wrapped it, taped it into place.. (Years of riding that mountain bike has got me pretty handy with wraps/tape/etc.) I don't want to put 25 bandaids on the rest of me, so I just put on clean tshirt, loaded up the burns with bacitracin, the t-shirt is the bandage. It still hurts some but that's why god made tylonol and alieve.
The idea of putting a bandage on each burn a big PITA and I don't think it needs it anyways, let it breathe, etc. Do you think it needs bandages?
I know that YANMD etc and etc.
Within 12 hours all of the skin began to slough off. I spent a bit of time in the shower with clean washcloth, speeding the process along, so now all of the fried skin has exited my life, down the drain. The hand I've wrapped, a huge honkin' bandaid with bacitracin where the skin used to be, then wrapped it, taped it into place.. (Years of riding that mountain bike has got me pretty handy with wraps/tape/etc.) I don't want to put 25 bandaids on the rest of me, so I just put on clean tshirt, loaded up the burns with bacitracin, the t-shirt is the bandage. It still hurts some but that's why god made tylonol and alieve.
The idea of putting a bandage on each burn a big PITA and I don't think it needs it anyways, let it breathe, etc. Do you think it needs bandages?
I know that YANMD etc and etc.
Please see a doctor. Get the correct ointments and bandages for care. Burns are at high risk for infection and can be difficult to treat. Not every hospital or doctor will treat burns, that is truely a speciality, even when the burns don't appear to be life threatening.
If you go to an emergency room, you may want to look up what hospitals near you treat burns to save yourself a potential ambulance transfer. I've meet a many of people who've gotten a surprise ambulance ride when the hospital they went to wouldn't/couldn't treat it. Even when those people didn't need hospitalization and were sent home that very same day.
posted by AlexiaSky at 10:39 PM on December 21, 2019 [20 favorites]
If you go to an emergency room, you may want to look up what hospitals near you treat burns to save yourself a potential ambulance transfer. I've meet a many of people who've gotten a surprise ambulance ride when the hospital they went to wouldn't/couldn't treat it. Even when those people didn't need hospitalization and were sent home that very same day.
posted by AlexiaSky at 10:39 PM on December 21, 2019 [20 favorites]
Best answer: Unfortunately yes, burns should mostly be kept covered and moist if possible, and dressed in such a way that there won't be rubbing and chafing (eg not a piece of clothing). There are hydrocolloid bandages which stick directly to the wound and which might be sufficient if your burns are on the low end of second-degree; they can be cut to fit and just stay on until healing is complete.
I was laid up with severe burns for about half the summer and the winning combination was a dressing of cling film when at home and nonstick gauze pads taped/wrapped/held on with one of those stretchy mesh sleeve things when I had to go out. I also took ibuprofen for pain and inflammation, and Vitamin C supplements for inflammation (studies are mixed but it made a dramatic difference for me). 2-4 times a day for about 15 minutes, I soaked cotton pads in chilled dilute white vinegar and applied them to the burns (doesn't sting, actually very soothing).
Try not to puncture blisters not only because the skin protects the wound bed from bacteria, but the fluid itself appears to be beneficial. Avoid numbing sprays and ointments with lidocaine, etc, which can be toxic when used on open wounds (if these are second degree burns).
posted by notquitemaryann at 11:08 PM on December 21, 2019 [5 favorites]
I was laid up with severe burns for about half the summer and the winning combination was a dressing of cling film when at home and nonstick gauze pads taped/wrapped/held on with one of those stretchy mesh sleeve things when I had to go out. I also took ibuprofen for pain and inflammation, and Vitamin C supplements for inflammation (studies are mixed but it made a dramatic difference for me). 2-4 times a day for about 15 minutes, I soaked cotton pads in chilled dilute white vinegar and applied them to the burns (doesn't sting, actually very soothing).
Try not to puncture blisters not only because the skin protects the wound bed from bacteria, but the fluid itself appears to be beneficial. Avoid numbing sprays and ointments with lidocaine, etc, which can be toxic when used on open wounds (if these are second degree burns).
posted by notquitemaryann at 11:08 PM on December 21, 2019 [5 favorites]
The vinegar compresses came after I developed a probable pseudomonas infection, and this treatment cleared it quickly. Be on guard for not only visible signs of infection, or increased heat, but also unusual smells.
(Ideally professional treatment would be readily available and affordable for everyone, but I recognize that this may not be the case for you, or for others who read this, as it was not for me.)
posted by notquitemaryann at 11:19 PM on December 21, 2019 [3 favorites]
(Ideally professional treatment would be readily available and affordable for everyone, but I recognize that this may not be the case for you, or for others who read this, as it was not for me.)
posted by notquitemaryann at 11:19 PM on December 21, 2019 [3 favorites]
If you have the insurance, see a doctor.
Back when I had less good insurance, I would try to stage the burn myself, and seek medical attention only if I thought I had second or third degree burns.
But I'd be especially conservative about the hand burn, because scarring there can cause permanent reduction in the function of your hand. A quick review of techniques to manage hand burns.
N.B. I am not a doctor.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 8:02 AM on December 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Back when I had less good insurance, I would try to stage the burn myself, and seek medical attention only if I thought I had second or third degree burns.
But I'd be especially conservative about the hand burn, because scarring there can cause permanent reduction in the function of your hand. A quick review of techniques to manage hand burns.
N.B. I am not a doctor.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 8:02 AM on December 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Best answer: They sell large band aids at the grocery store. Use them; discomfort from burns is extremely unpleasant and they *will* heal better. I don't know why this is true of burns, but in my experience of burning myself while cooking a lot, it is.
They also weep a little, and that causes lint and crunk to irritate the harm further. The pain is not-inconsiderable but it's also not sanitary.
I'm assuming these are regular cooking burns. If you are bleeding or have removed several layers of skin, I would go see a doctor out of concern for infection.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 10:31 AM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
They also weep a little, and that causes lint and crunk to irritate the harm further. The pain is not-inconsiderable but it's also not sanitary.
I'm assuming these are regular cooking burns. If you are bleeding or have removed several layers of skin, I would go see a doctor out of concern for infection.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 10:31 AM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Re-reading your description of the hand injury, I think you should go to a doctor. That's your hand.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 10:34 AM on December 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by A Terrible Llama at 10:34 AM on December 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Please do not take medical advice from strangers on the internet. Please go see a doctor. You really want to be sure that your hand doesn’t develop scarring that limits your range of motion.
And please don’t put acetic acid, no matter how dilute, on burn wounds.
posted by jesourie at 12:30 PM on December 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
And please don’t put acetic acid, no matter how dilute, on burn wounds.
posted by jesourie at 12:30 PM on December 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I went out on my bike ride overnight, came back at dawn to the answers that were already here.
Of all of the injuries, my hand was/is in the best shape of all, though it was absolutely the deepest burn, and the largest, But it's in great shape, presumably because I had it covered with lots of bacitracin, then bandaged, then that bandage wrapped. The rest of the burns had tried to begin to heal over but because of not being buried in bacitracin and then bandaged they were ugly, and needed debriding. Which is uncomfortable but I know how to do it -- I spent maybe 30 minutes in the shower, getting all the burns soaked through, then removing any/all nastiness that had begun to accumulate. Then, out of the shower, I put bacitracin on them all, then covered them with bandages. So far, so good.
The t-shirt as a bandage? Not a good plan.
Tylonol and alieve still my good friends.
I have excellent insurance, I am incredibly lucky in that and I know it. But their emergency care is a long wait; I will go see my doctor tomorrow, might be that he'll write me some antibiotics, no telling.
Again, my hand is in the best shape of any of the burns, because I took correct care of it. I'm certain the rest will respond similarly, now that I'm taking proper care of them.
I'll stop in tomorrow after doctor visit.
posted by dancestoblue at 12:44 PM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Of all of the injuries, my hand was/is in the best shape of all, though it was absolutely the deepest burn, and the largest, But it's in great shape, presumably because I had it covered with lots of bacitracin, then bandaged, then that bandage wrapped. The rest of the burns had tried to begin to heal over but because of not being buried in bacitracin and then bandaged they were ugly, and needed debriding. Which is uncomfortable but I know how to do it -- I spent maybe 30 minutes in the shower, getting all the burns soaked through, then removing any/all nastiness that had begun to accumulate. Then, out of the shower, I put bacitracin on them all, then covered them with bandages. So far, so good.
The t-shirt as a bandage? Not a good plan.
Tylonol and alieve still my good friends.
I have excellent insurance, I am incredibly lucky in that and I know it. But their emergency care is a long wait; I will go see my doctor tomorrow, might be that he'll write me some antibiotics, no telling.
Again, my hand is in the best shape of any of the burns, because I took correct care of it. I'm certain the rest will respond similarly, now that I'm taking proper care of them.
I'll stop in tomorrow after doctor visit.
posted by dancestoblue at 12:44 PM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you were one of my kids, I would tell you to stop playing doctor and to get up and go see a real one right now and here's why--you're saying you know how to care for this, but by your own admission (using a t-shirt as bandage which was not a good idea) you do not know what you're doing.
And the fact that you're soaking and then scrubbing the burns...
...PLEASE go see a doctor NOW.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 1:40 PM on December 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
And the fact that you're soaking and then scrubbing the burns...
...PLEASE go see a doctor NOW.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 1:40 PM on December 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
Go to the emergency care. I can't see any reason given for why you haven't, and you haven't said why you're too busy.
If you're scared of, or uncomfortable in hospitals, then that's fair enough, but you need to address the difference between several hours of psychological discomfort and the risk of infection which would lead to, at minimum, a week of bad pain, and quite possibly to long term reduce in function in your hand.
At which point, I reiterate: you almost certainly need to go to hospital.
posted by ambrosen at 3:35 PM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you're scared of, or uncomfortable in hospitals, then that's fair enough, but you need to address the difference between several hours of psychological discomfort and the risk of infection which would lead to, at minimum, a week of bad pain, and quite possibly to long term reduce in function in your hand.
At which point, I reiterate: you almost certainly need to go to hospital.
posted by ambrosen at 3:35 PM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Please go get professional help. The longer you wait, the worse, plus it'll be closer and closer to Christmas and I assume that will be a clusterfuck.
If only because they will give you Silvadene, which is straight-up dark magic.
I'm so sorry you got burned! Burns are the worst. Here's to good healing. I'm worried about you!
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:21 AM on December 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
If only because they will give you Silvadene, which is straight-up dark magic.
I'm so sorry you got burned! Burns are the worst. Here's to good healing. I'm worried about you!
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:21 AM on December 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. You should absolutely not be debriding a burn, by yourself, without medical training. The fact that you even removed your burnt skin in the first place indicates that you're not up to date on how to care for burns. They should be kept wet, sterile, and directly covered at all times. The "airing out" of wounds is out-of-date and counterproductive to the healing process. You should not be physically removing any skin from the area, you are doing further damage. Bacitracin only prevents against bacterial infections. Your burns, which sound like 2nd degree, are also at risk for viral and fungal infections. Bandages are treated to be non-stick. tshirt material is absorbent and wounds weep. It's very likely your shirt will stick to the burns, and will remove any collagen or scabbing that your body has been working to produce.
Burns that require medical attention:
-first degree burns that have a diameter larger than 3", or are circumferential (go around an entire extremity, like finger, ankle, or elbow)
-all non-superficial burns on the face, feet, genitals or mouth
-any burns that result in "charred" or leathery skin
-any burns that collectively cover a widespread area, regardless if individual circumferences are less than 3"
-burns that leave the skin white or yellow
-all chemical burns
-all burns on patients that are diabetic, elderly, or in infancy
-all burns that are partial or full thickness.
posted by FirstMateKate at 11:03 AM on December 23, 2019 [6 favorites]
Burns that require medical attention:
-first degree burns that have a diameter larger than 3", or are circumferential (go around an entire extremity, like finger, ankle, or elbow)
-all non-superficial burns on the face, feet, genitals or mouth
-any burns that result in "charred" or leathery skin
-any burns that collectively cover a widespread area, regardless if individual circumferences are less than 3"
-burns that leave the skin white or yellow
-all chemical burns
-all burns on patients that are diabetic, elderly, or in infancy
-all burns that are partial or full thickness.
posted by FirstMateKate at 11:03 AM on December 23, 2019 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: I followed the advice of those of you in here who said that the burns have to be covered. I've kept them covered, kept them loaded with bacitracin and then non-stick gauze, I've gone through a roll of tape, almost, keeping the whole show in place, and a shitload of bandaids, also.
I look ridiculous. Just ridiculous. I could easy be an ad for a band-aid company, a tape company, a gauze company -- this thing spattered all across my body, some larger burns, some smaller. But with even a short-sleeve shirt, mostly the bandages can't be seen. Mostly.
Result? Healing fast. The burn on my palm, the largest, deepest, the one that hurt the worst, and scared me the most, it's probably two days out from not needing to be covered any longer. IE, it's damn near healed. Because it's been loaded with bacitracin and covered right from the minute it all came down. The others are following suit, painless now as they heal.
As far as not debriding the areas burned, probably you all know more about it than I do. I only know what I've learned over the years, lots of tumbles on the mountain bike, plus construction work injuries over the years, a million-billion scrapes and rips etc.. And what I've learned is that debriding the injured areas, while painful and time-consuming, it is by far the best for my own personal body. For me, everything heals faster when all of the crud is removed. And heals better. And less scarring. It's painful, time-consuming, worth both of those. For me.
So anyways. Probably I'll go through another roll of tape, and lots more bandages. But nothing is infected, nothing even hurts really, mostly, it's all healing.
Thank you all for great answers, for all of the care, for taking the time to help me here.
Resolved.
posted by dancestoblue at 9:25 PM on December 23, 2019
I look ridiculous. Just ridiculous. I could easy be an ad for a band-aid company, a tape company, a gauze company -- this thing spattered all across my body, some larger burns, some smaller. But with even a short-sleeve shirt, mostly the bandages can't be seen. Mostly.
Result? Healing fast. The burn on my palm, the largest, deepest, the one that hurt the worst, and scared me the most, it's probably two days out from not needing to be covered any longer. IE, it's damn near healed. Because it's been loaded with bacitracin and covered right from the minute it all came down. The others are following suit, painless now as they heal.
As far as not debriding the areas burned, probably you all know more about it than I do. I only know what I've learned over the years, lots of tumbles on the mountain bike, plus construction work injuries over the years, a million-billion scrapes and rips etc.. And what I've learned is that debriding the injured areas, while painful and time-consuming, it is by far the best for my own personal body. For me, everything heals faster when all of the crud is removed. And heals better. And less scarring. It's painful, time-consuming, worth both of those. For me.
So anyways. Probably I'll go through another roll of tape, and lots more bandages. But nothing is infected, nothing even hurts really, mostly, it's all healing.
Thank you all for great answers, for all of the care, for taking the time to help me here.
Resolved.
posted by dancestoblue at 9:25 PM on December 23, 2019
Response by poster: Plus, fiercecupcake has got me all interested in Silvadene now and I'm gonna try to get my doc to write me for it next time I see him, to have some on hand just because.
posted by dancestoblue at 9:39 PM on December 23, 2019
posted by dancestoblue at 9:39 PM on December 23, 2019
Hey, you know the first order of business for a minor kitchen burn is running it under the coldest tap water your house can muster until you're a bit bored, right?
I still am not clear if your burn was actually minor or not so this may not apply; I just thought I'd mention it.
*Minor* burns. Minor ones!
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:59 PM on January 3, 2020
I still am not clear if your burn was actually minor or not so this may not apply; I just thought I'd mention it.
*Minor* burns. Minor ones!
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:59 PM on January 3, 2020
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