Burns that occur during activities of daily living are not pleasant: touching a hot oven while baking cookies, spilling hot chocolate on the skin or staying too long in the sun. The good news is that there are plenty of natural ways to treat these minor burns (read: those that aren’t open and don’t require a trip to the ER). Here are some techniques to keep in mind for the next unfortunate incident.
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1. cold water
When you have a minor burn, run cool, not cold, water over the area. Do this for about 20 minutes before washing the burn site with mild soap and water.
Refrain from soaking the wound in ice water. Although immersing the wound immediately in ice water may provide benefits, including a less extensive and shallower burn, if you wait longer than 15 seconds, ice water will provide no benefit and may aggravate the burns. damage due to the potential for frostbite.
2. honey
For minor burns, immediately pour tap water over the burn site to reduce the temperature. Then apply honey. Depending on the area, 15 to 30 milliliters (ml) of honey can be used directly on the wound or applied through honey-soaked gauze.
Honey is effective in preventing burn infections. One study compared a honey bandage with a bandage made from boiled potato peels as a cover for recent partial burns in 50 subjects. In those treated with honey, 90% of wounds were sterilized within seven days.
For more severe second-degree burns, topically applied honey prevented secondary infection, reduced healing time, and reduced scarring. This was compared to a pharmaceutical anti-infective cream administered topically.
Several different studies in animal models support the ability of honey to heal wounds associated with burns in multiple ways. For example, honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well as low pH, high viscosity, and hydrogen peroxide content, all of which contribute to its overall effectiveness against burns.
3. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera, often called “the burn plant”, is useful for treating first to second degree burns. In a study on animal subjects, researchers wrote, “Aloe vera may exhibit both anti-inflammatory and healing-promoting actions when applied to a second-degree burn.”
A 2016 study evaluated 50 patients who had second-degree burns over more than 20% of their body. Half of the patients were treated with a topical disinfectant while the others received dressings containing medicinal plants, mainly aloe vera. Those who were treated with aloe healed faster and had a shorter hospital stay.
Fermenting aloe vera can also significantly speed burn healing by reducing the severity of inflammation and altering the gut microbiota.
Other Natural Treatments for Burns
4. coconut
Coconut is known for its powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties, largely due to its lauric acid content. In one study, researchers inflicted partial-thickness burns on animal models and assigned them to coco, standard silver sulfadiazine, and control groups.
They found a significant improvement in burn contraction in the group treated with a combination of coconut and silver sulfadiazine. They concluded that “Cocos nucifera oil [coco] it is an effective agent for the healing of burns.
5. curcumin
Curcumin, a compound found in the spice turmeric, offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
In animal studies, curcumin has been shown to be effective in reducing the progression of burns and wounds in subjects. In comparison, the drug desferrioxamine did not reduce burn progression, while the beneficial effects of curcumin appeared to be bimodal or have more than one mechanism of action. Along with St. John’s wort, curcumin has also shown favorable results in healing second-degree burns.
6. Vitamin C
The antioxidant power of vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, and its role in collagen synthesis make it a vital molecule for skin health. Indeed, vitamin C deficiency is characterized by fragile skin and poor wound healing. In one study, the use of antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C provided health benefits for burn patients, ranging from reduced infection rates and wound healing time to reduced length of stay to the hospital.
Although much remains to be explored regarding the use of vitamin C in the treatment of burns, it remains a promising antioxidant candidate used in burn resuscitation studies, showing efficacy in reducing fluid requirements in the phase. acute after a burn.
In severe cases, high-dose vitamin C therapy was associated with reduced mortality in severely burned patients when used below a minimum threshold of 10 grams during the first two days of hospitalization . Various high-dose regimens may produce better results, the researchers wrote.
7. Papaya
Carica papaya is traditionally used in developing countries to treat wounds, especially burns, and other skin conditions. In one study, papaya latex formulated as part of Carbopol gel was found to be effective in the treatment of burns, supporting its traditional use.
In most parts of Africa, papaya is one of many natural medicinal preparations. In the pediatric unit of a hospital in The Gambia, Carica, papaya was well tolerated by children, where the pulp of the fruit was crushed and applied daily to full thickness and infected burns. The enzymes chymopapain and papain are potentially at work, as well as the antimicrobial activity of papaya.
By Sayer Ji. Articles in English