Your Skin and Burns
Sunburn is not the only kind of burn that summer can bring.
Should you burn yourself on the barbecue or campfire, for example, reach for the aloe vera and other botanicals such as: vitamin A, collagen, allantoin, niacin, ginseng, comfrey, green tea extract, several other leaf extracts and antiseptic rose hip oil.
The Sun is Not the Only Thing that Burns in Summer
Most of us have experienced a minor burn. Thermal burns are very common and can be caused by touching a hot pot on the stove, reaching for something too close to an open flame, or spilling a hot drink. Then there are burns from tinkering with the lawnmower or boat engine, or getting scalded by steam.
All of these can happen in summer when you’re enjoying life outdoors. Burns happen all the time with barbecues, campfires, firepits, toasted marshmallows, outdoor cooking and fireworks.
Children are particularly vulnerable to accidental burns so it is vital to know what to do when they occur. It has been estimated that as many as 75% of all burns are preventable.
Dealing with Minor Thermal Burns – Remember the Aloe Vera
The severity of a burn depends on how many layers of skin and tissue are affected. Minor burns are classified as those where only the outer layers of skin are affected and the size of the burn is relatively small. Severe or third degree burns display signs of deeper tissue damage or charring and require medical attention.
The vast majority of burns are minor. For immediate care:
- First, stop the burning process by running cold water on the area for several minutes.
- Do NOT rub butter or oil on a burn. EVER. These can make it worse and may cause infection
- Cover the burn with a clean, dry cloth to reduce the risk of infection.
- Do not put any salve or medicine on the burned area, so your doctor can properly assess your burn.
Why Aloe Vera for Burns?
Aloe vera may very well be the king of soothing applications for burns and damaged skin. It is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties while also being safe and natural.
Aloe vera contains six antiseptic agents – lupeol, phenol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamic acid and sulfur. [1] It also contains three natural analgesics for soothing the inflamed tissue and reducing the pain.
Synthetic pharmaceutical preparations may be attractive, but aloe vera does not have toxic side effects when applied to skin.
Existing evidence demonstrates that aloe vera can be very effective in speeding up the rate of cell regeneration and recovery in first and second degree burns when compared with other products like petroleum jelly gauze, silver sulfadiazine cream, and framycetin cream.
In patients treated with aloe vera, improvement in burn wounds and pain relief has been faster than for those treated with 1% silver sulfadiazine.