Bath/Shower After Hot Liquid Burns

Hi L.,
About a year and a half ago I received second and third degree burns on my legs and second degree burns on my arms. After a few days I started to feel pretty dirty, but the thought of a shower made me sick to my stomach! Upon my doctor's advice I filled the bath with luke warm water and got in very slowly. It hurt very bad at first, but the doctor assured me it wasn't going to do any damage, and that it could actually help. Sure enough, after a minute or two the pain went away and it was very relaxing.

Good luck!

Go to your local drugstore and get Sulfadine Cream or a good burn cream ask the PH/RX behind the desk. If they make them in the large size, get CLEAR WATER BLOCK PLUS BANDAGES (Johnson and Johnson)apply the cream to the burn but not on the skin surrounding the burn or the bandage will not stick properly and they should hold up quite well in the shower. There may be some discomfort but, not too much.

Also, I worked in a burn unit oversea's and when someone with sever burns would come in, we would have to place them in a jet tub with medicated water and a good dose of morphine and scrub off the burn skin to expose the new skin underneath so either way there will be discomfort.

If you are healing well, don't break any of the blisters, let them open on their own then clean and apply the cream. Kirlex bandage's come in 2,4,6 inch roll's and you can also put 4x4 square bandages on the burn's and wrap with the Kirlex during the day. And if you want to go the cheep route, just use saranwrap and waterproof tape.

Get yourself a good first-aid book or go to WEB MD and look up the care for Minor Burn's, make yourself a family first aid kit with all the bandage's for wound's and burns, or buy a first aid kit. You could call your local clinic and ask them what kind of kit they have on hand and ask about ordering one.
I have a hugh kit at home as well as a take along in my car. I have enough for at least 5 people after that it's concidered a mass casualty, then call 911.

Hope this info help's you.

Later on,

L.

Yeeowch. You poor thing. I didn't have burns over nearly as much of my body as you did, but when I got the all clear to take a real shower from my doctor I made sure the water was tepid - nearly cool in temperature. And the water pressure was low. I kept the burns out from under the direct spray at first - just so I could make sure the water temperature was okay. Then, I gradually turned the hot water up. It was still just barely warm enough to be comfortable but the cooler water temperature meant that the burns didn't hurt very much - and it felt SO good to be clean.

It look longer to get back into the tub. I like nice hot baths and having a lukewarm one just wasn't something I figured I'd enjoy.

Wow, so sorry to hear about your burns! So, my younger sister, when she was about 10 got 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over both her feet. She was in a wheel chair for an entire summer. What we did was wrap her feet up really well in a plastic bag. That way she could still bathe, but her feet were never totally submerged. Your situation is a little tougher. I would suggest trying saran wrap or plastic bags. Use good tape, like duct tape, and wrap up good (Make sure to stick it to a place that isn't burned, or you'll never get the tape off!) Then, just take a shower as usual, and wash the burned area carefully with a washcloth or whatever you've been doing. As for the burns themselves...are you putting anything on them? My sister had to use a white thick cream, which I think is called sylvadine (sp.?) I would ask a doctor about that. You don't want the burns to get infected; trust me it will feel much worse! Hope this helps, and you heal quickly!

Maybe you should go to the doctor, or call a nurse line.

Sulfadine Cream really helps and so does something called newskin. It is like a bandaid but it has a medicated liquid inside that really soothes and heals. (you can get it at most pharmacies) I am sure that barrier would help in the shower. My daughter had second degree burns and the hospital gave us both the cream and the newskin. After a week and a half she bathed fine. Good luck!

I am not sure if this will help, but I have a 3 year old daughter who fell on a base board heater pannel and burned her arm from arm pit to wrist....for the first couple of days I didn't give her a bath but when I did I gave her just a mild warm bath NO SOAP. She cried a little when she first put her arm in the water but did really good. It seemed that it sort of soothed her a little. I also have this wonderful burn cream that helped with the scaring (can't hardly tell she was burned) and it cooled it alittle too after bath.

Hope this helps, if you want the name of the cream feel free to ask.. I can find out the name of it for you, I just don't know what it is off the top of my head.