How to Treat Burns at Home - 13 Natural Remedies to Try
Burns are one of the most common injuries in the home. We have all suffered a burn at some point in our lives. Whether it’s from accidentally touching the frying pan or from walking in the sun, burns are painful. Luckily, you can treat burns at home with a few natural ingredients you can find in your pantry. They can prevent scarring and further infection. If you notice burns that penetrate all layers of skin, seek immediate medical attention. In this article we take a look at the different types of burns and some home remedies to treat your burns.
types of burns
Depending on the severity and damage, burns are mainly classified into three types.
1. First degree burns
The burns that damage the skin the least are called first-degree burns. These burns affect only the outermost layer of skin and do not blister. The most common signs of a first-degree burn include redness, inflammation, and in some cases, slight peeling of the skin.
2. Second degree burns
Second-degree burns often extend beyond the outermost layer of skin, causing blisters and sores on the skin. When a blister bursts, the burn looks wet. Depending on the severity of the blisters, these types of burns take longer to heal.
3. Third degree burns
Third degree burns affect and extend through all layers of the skin. These are very serious and often cause nerve damage, resulting in the inability to feel the pain of the burn. The skin affected by a third degree burn is either waxy white or dark brown. Left untreated, such burns can cause severe scarring. Third degree burns require immediate attention and must be treated by an experienced physician; self-treatment should not be done.
Extremely severe burns that extend to the bones and tendons are called fourth-degree burns.
As you may have noticed, if you have a burn as severe as a third or fourth degree burn, you must consult your doctor immediately to avoid permanent scarring. Depending on the extent of damage to your body, these burns can also be fatal and require immediate medical attention. However, if you suffer from a minor burn that has blistered, you can make a full recovery from your burn with some simple and natural home remedies. Here are some home remedies for burns that you can try.
- Essential Oils
- Lavender Oil
you will need
2 to 3 drops of undiluted lavender oil
cotton pad
What you have to do
Put a few drops of undiluted lavender oil on a cotton pad and spread evenly over the burned area.
How often should you do this?
Do this thrice daily until you see positive results.
Why this works
Lavender essential oil is widely used for its multiple medicinal effects due to its antiseptic properties. The presence of linalyl acetate and beta-caryophyllene gives lavender oil its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The combination of these properties of lavender oil helps heal minor burns and prevents scarring (1).
- Peppermint Oil
you will need
2 to 3 drops of peppermint oil
cotton pad
What you have to do
Take about three drops of peppermint oil on a cotton pad and apply it to your burn.
How often should you do this?
Do this at least thrice a day.
Peppermint oil is rich in menthol, which has a cooling effect on burns. Additionally, the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of peppermint oil can reduce the pain and swelling associated with the burn (2).
C. Tea Tree Oil
you will need
2 to 3 drops of tea tree oil
cotton pad
What you have to do
Put a few drops of tea tree oil on a cotton pad and rub it evenly over your burn.
How often should you do this?
You must do this at least twice a day.
Tea tree oil is known for its powerful antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. These properties make it one of the best and fastest treatments for painful burns (3).
Caution
If you have sensitive skin, mix tea tree oil with coconut or olive oil before use.
D. Frankincense Oil
you will need
2 to 3 drops of frankincense oil
cotton pad
What you have to do
Put a few drops of frankincense oil on a cotton pad and apply directly to the burned area.
How often should you do this?
You need to do this two to three times a day.
Why this works
Frankincense oil is popular for its antiseptic and antioxidant properties, which can prevent your burn from becoming infected and also help it heal faster (4).
2. Yellow Mustard
you will need
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 tablespoon water
What you have to do
Mix the yellow mustard with water to form a fine paste.
Apply this paste to the burned skin.
How often should you do this?
Do this at least thrice a day.
Why this works
Mustard seeds are high in an irritation-soothing compound called allyl isothiocyanate, which can reduce pain and improve blood flow to the affected area (5).
3. Aloe Vera
you will need
1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel
What you have to do
Apply aloe vera gel evenly to the burned area.
How often should you do this?
Do this two to three times a day.
Why this works
Aloe vera gel heals burns with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is also antibacterial, preventing wound infection, scarring, and blistering (6).
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For this home remedy for burns, you can either use store-bought aloe vera gel or extract it from aloe vera leaves.
4. darling
you will need
2 teaspoons organic honey
What you have to do
Take some organic honey and rub it on the burn.
How often should you do this?
Do this at least thrice a day.
Why this works
As a natural antibiotic, honey has a natural pH that prevents the burn from igniting. Honey also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, helping burns heal faster (7).
5. Toothpaste
you will need
White toothpaste with mint
What you have to do
Apply some toothpaste to your burn after rinsing it off under cold water.
Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before washing it off.
How often should you do this?
Do this once a day.
Why this works
Toothpaste relieves pain and soothes burns due to its minty nature.
6. Teabag
you will need
2 to 3 used tea bags
What you have to do
After brewing tea, keep the used tea bags aside.
Allow them to cool and apply the wet tea bags to the area of your burn.
Hold the tea bags in place with gauze for 10 to 15 minutes.
How often should you do this?
Do this at least twice a day.
Why this works
Tea is rich in tannins, which help extract heat from the burned area. Here’s how tea bags can relieve pain and burning (8), (9).
7. Baking soda
you will need
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of water
What you have to do
Mix baking soda and water into a fine paste.
Apply this baking soda paste directly to the affected area.
Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash off with water.
How often should you do this?
You need to follow this regimen two to three times a day.
Why this works
The antiseptic properties of baking soda help keep the burned area infection-free. Baking soda can also help restore your skin’s natural pH balance, which in turn reduces pain and burning (10).
8. Coconut Oil
you will need
1 to 2 teaspoons virgin coconut oil
What you have to do
Apply virgin coconut oil directly to the affected area with your fingertips.
Leave it on and let it sink into your skin.
How often should you do this?
For a quick recovery, you need to use this remedy at least three times a day.
Why this works
Coconut oil, scientifically known as cocos nucifera, can help regenerate skin cells and also penetrates the skin. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and can help cool the burn and prevent blistering and scarring on the burned skin (11), (12).
9. Vitamin E Oil
you will need
1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil
What you have to do
Extract vitamin E oil from the capsules and apply evenly to the burned area.
Leave it on until it is completely absorbed by the skin.
How often should you do this?
You need to do this three to four times a day.
Why this works
Vitamin E is well known and widely used for its multiple benefits for the skin. The antioxidant properties of vitamin E oil help fight inflammation, and its ability to regenerate skin can help the burn heal faster (13).
10. Milk
you will need
1/4 cup cold milk
cotton balls
What you have to do
Soak a cotton ball in chilled milk and apply to the affected area.
Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before washing it off with water.
How often should you do this?
You must repeat this every few hours until the pain and burning subside.
Why this works
Milk is high in zinc and some proteins, which may help soothe and heal burns faster (14).
11. Vinegar
you will need
2 teaspoons chilled vinegar
2 teaspoons of water
cotton pads
What you have to do
Dilute some chilled vinegar with water.
Soak a cotton pad in the diluted vinegar and apply to the burned skin.
Leave it on until the vinegar has evaporated on its own.
How often should you do this?
Do this 2 to 3 times daily.
Why this works
Vinegar is a natural astringent and antiseptic and consists primarily of acetic acid. Acetic acid is known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. These properties of vinegar can be helpful in treating and healing minor burns (15).
12. Oats
you will need
1 tablespoon of oats
1 bowl of water
What you have to do
Soak the oatmeal in the water for a while.
After a few minutes, you can soak the burned area in this water for 10 to 15 minutes.
How often should you do this?
You must do this at least twice a day.
Why this works
Oats are rich in many antioxidants such as vitamin E, phytic acids and avenanthramides. Among these, avenanthramides are found to reduce inflammation. Therefore, due to the combined effects of these antioxidants, oats or oatmeal may help reduce the pain and heal the burn faster (16).
13. Salt
you will need
1 teaspoon of salt
Water
What you have to do
Add a few drops of water to the salt to make a fine paste.
Apply this paste to your burn and let it dry.
How often should you do this?
Follow this remedy several times a day.
Why this works
Salt, also called sodium chloride (NaCl), has natural healing and antimicrobial properties that help prevent blistering and help burns heal faster (17).
In addition to these natural remedies, several ingredients have the potential to soothe minor burns.
To speed up the healing process, you can place boiled potato peels, inside-side down, on open sores (18).
Cucumbers can help soothe skin irritation (19).
Curcumin, derived from turmeric, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce the size of burn wounds and wound-related inflammation in rats (20).
Topical chamomile extract may help speed up the wound healing process (21).
Oral calendula extract capsules helped speed up the wound healing process in second-degree burns (22).
Witch hazel extracts are anti-inflammatory and can soothe superficial wounds (23).
You must always remember to run cold water on your burn or apply a compress before beginning any of these treatments as this will lessen the effects of your burn and prevent it from spreading further. And while you can use these remedies at home to treat minor burns, serious burns require immediate medical attention.
Learn how to treat and treat burns and scalds with medically approved first aid tips. Watch this video for the best advice on how to deal with these injuries and prevent further damage.
Conclusion
Although minor burns are common, they can cause pain and scarring. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. If you are wondering how to cure a burn at home quickly, there are numerous home remedies available. In the infographic below, we’ve listed some easily accessible ingredients that can help relieve the pain associated with minor burns. Just look.
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