Looking for recommendations on burn dressings. Was going through my medical supplies and I realized that I have very little for burn care. Any recommendations for burn dressings? I see a number of different types. The only ones I have in kits are a few Waterjel drssings.
PREP Burn Dressings
- Thread starter mecoastie
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Bud in Fla
Veteran Member
Aloe plant growing outside your back door.
Years ago I was helping a guy who was cutting steel plate. It was going to fall so I reached out to knock away from hitting his foot. He turned & crossed my arm with the torch on bare skin. Nasty burn - blackened skin in the center of the burn! Aloe for a few days and there wasn't hardly a scar from it.
Years ago I was helping a guy who was cutting steel plate. It was going to fall so I reached out to knock away from hitting his foot. He turned & crossed my arm with the torch on bare skin. Nasty burn - blackened skin in the center of the burn! Aloe for a few days and there wasn't hardly a scar from it.
Cant carry an aloe plant in the emergency kits and they cant grow out the backdoor in Maine. We have a ton of aloe in the sunroom but I am looking for dressing recommendations.
All Products | Silver Dressings | Silverlon
I think they are spendy but back when I was a EMT for the company I worked for we visited the Grady Burn Center/Emory and the Dr we toured with spoke highly of these.
Shooter
Veteran Member
I just got burned a week ago, you need NON stick 4 by 4 pads, these have a thin kind of plastic feel to them, but the will not stick to the wound as it heals, get a ace bandage to hold them on, hospital gave me Ascend silver sulfadiazine cream 1% it works really good, youll probably have get the 4b4 and the ace bandage off amazon, funny, both walmart and walgreens dont carry the simple old style ace bandage, all of them now are fitted,, a different type for each joint, this is the stuff I am using right now and its working great
for pain hospital gave me 600mg Ibuprofen 4 times a day, could just take 3 200 mg I think, but I only use that once a day, in the morning,
for pain hospital gave me 600mg Ibuprofen 4 times a day, could just take 3 200 mg I think, but I only use that once a day, in the morning,
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Depends on the size of burn. Initially, the big thing is to cool the burn back to body temp to prevent carry over cooking. Then, for large burn area, we actually use plastic wrap. Use a PVC Pipe cutter and cut a roll in half. The big thing about no creams and such is because initially, they can hold in the heat. The screaming nerve ends need isolated from touch and air movement, hence the wrap. It will also reduce evaporation, slowing fluid loss. Longer term you can use pure honey on the burn itself to keep the skin moist and promote healing, and vitamin E to reduce scarring.
Pain management will be a monster during the whole process. So will fluid replacement. Depending on your level of training and skill, we can go hip deep down some rabbit holes if you want.
Pain management will be a monster during the whole process. So will fluid replacement. Depending on your level of training and skill, we can go hip deep down some rabbit holes if you want.
Bubble Head
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Silver Sulfadiazine cream. You may need a prescription to get the good stuff or try all day chemist. Shooter said it best.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Thanks for that.
Pretty careful about burns/fire in all forms but there's a host of potential burn results we mght not forsee or know how to effectively treat.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
To hold things in place- Vet wrap (often called cohesive bandage or coban) is a self-adhering, stretchable tape that sticks only to itself, not to skin or fur. Tractor supply, and the 'Vet' version is cheaper than the people med stuff, even though it's the same product.
And as far as 'ACE' wraps-
Amazon has everything
FRESINIDER Premium Elastic Bandage Wrap, 4 Pack 6" Cotton Latex Free Compression Bandage Wrap 9$
mechanic 217
I was told there would be cookies!
The one I keep in my first aid kit is Anti-Microbial Silver Wound Gel, carried by the local CVS my experience and others I have recommend it to is it works great on 1st and 2nd degree burns, never tried 3rd degree buns.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Great for small burns. Just remember to always cool the burn back to body temperature at a minimum before you dress it.
Macgyver
You also got your last Timebomb. Well that sucks.
I went to get some of that stuff at CVS years ago and little tiny roll was stupid expensive.
Went to the feed store in town and the big rolls were like a dollar and change.
Same 3M brand in the sterile packaging.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
SusieSunshine
Veteran Member
DH just went thru 2nd degree burns. 1.75% body. 14 days in hospital. I'll take pix of the stuff he had in hospital for use . Some you can get on Amazon.
Depends on the severity of the burn. If you are planning to seek medical attention or not, if it is 2nd or 3rd degree you should head to the ER. If the burn is 2nd degree or greater flush with sterile water if you have it. If all you have is tap water use warm water not cold. Use sterile 4X pads to dry the burned area then use more new 4XS to cover the burn. Then wrap the area with sterile gauze starting away from the area and wrap it with 2-3 layers, no ace bandages. It needs to breathe. You only want it tight enough to keep the dressing on till you get to a doctor. Sever burns need be treated dry till you get help. For first degree or less same then keep things as clean as you can. There are all kind of things you can but on it, before covering it, but burns need new dressings every day.
Old Gray Mare
TB Fanatic
Have you checked with your health care provider if you can use sanitary napkins or pieces of them?
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The problem with sanitary napkins is they are designed to 'wick' fluid away, and that can be counter productive depending on the timeline. Some longer term issues and theories are to keep larger wounds damp to prevent contraction, like with a honey based or other more medical derived initial wound layer, followed by either a porous or non porous layer. Porous layer will let it keep leaking and breathing, where as a non-porous layer will keep moisture and warmth in.
Talk to burn docs and you will still get conflicting approaches. Environment and resources will drive a lot of things, but do a ton of research so you can know why you are doing something, regardless of which route you go.
toxic avenger
Veteran Member
Fyi, the veterinary version is made of latex, which may cause problems for some people
SusieSunshine
Veteran Member
I am unable to post pix, file too large. He used Vashe wound solution to clean the wound. The Xeroform was applied after it was rinsed and dried. Then the site was wrapped with gauze to hold in place.
amazon.com/Conforming-Dressings-Latex-Free-Supplies-Individually/dp/B0FJRQZWYZ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=5C5GOP4QHJT0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.p2TdghtD6X8Sc-eaQHA525necYMc0HXmLyb_kHmwpSxrYl_u5JFG-2sn59fLT9A0JUligcs0UO8LBlXd4dgna1QdFKPiiKE9iF4zSPYGonq0TxHu9OXMAMFoviGHzq4VgOZZGqPQt5WHYzCaoEHPgzrxBRGQtaq4K2mVFHl0qbmLaP6LCOg-zIUXuxFK1jK2Lix3cvdiW7RhcevzSX0c6-Ike4mY3oQ8pK50Z84uAcBxg2PW7Tfwn15HLsma7FPMP8ZN2x-ngdX59YwBCi898HyPcXBBvyBj-p9gQj-qhqQ.pnRSXd6tTWhWASNQMFITVxuKS6MInVLNCab48ydz8hs&dib_tag=se&keywords=gauze+rolls&qid=1780504888&sprefix=gauz%2Caps%2C466&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
This procedure was done twice a day. Clean cloths necessary for each use.
Greatgrandad
Veteran Member
We keep a couple of these around the house with others and more and larger bandages at the compound.
www.uline.com
Uline Burn Kit - Single Use H-4172 - ULINE
Quickly treat burns in plants, warehouses and offices. Includes burn dressings and gels, instant cold compress, non-stick pads, bandages, rescue blanket, and much more. Wall mountable. Complete List of Contents . ULINE offers over 45,000 boxes, plastic poly bags, mailing tubes, warehouse...
www.uline.com
Macgyver
You also got your last Timebomb. Well that sucks.
Those are not sterile.
I had a friend donate a bunch of sterile gauze, applicators, etc to me when his grandmother passed. I took all of it.
After looking it up price-wise, it was like $3k worth of hospital/ER grade supplies. I never say no to medical supplies like this.
I always keep my oxygen tanks full too. You never know.
After looking it up price-wise, it was like $3k worth of hospital/ER grade supplies. I never say no to medical supplies like this.
I always keep my oxygen tanks full too. You never know.
Repairman-Jack
Veteran Member
As ComCamGuy mentioned burns can be a rabbit hole.
Depending on size (Rule of 9s is a good place to start and your hand is approx 1%) Severity (Superfical, partial thickness, full thickness), type: thermal, chemical, electrical all come into play for first aid vs long term care.
Shooter
Veteran Member
just for information on my own thoughts, I have 4 cases of vet wrap, but am buying more ace bandages they make one with a velcro type pad of hooks, you can only use vet wrap a few ttimes, i have never tried washing it, dont know if you can,
the ace can be used a long time, over and over, in a shit hit the fan type of disaster, I think I need things that are reusable, guess im just old and want reusable things,
the ace can be used a long time, over and over, in a shit hit the fan type of disaster, I think I need things that are reusable, guess im just old and want reusable things,
SusieSunshine
Veteran Member
We also have these. I have washed some of them after use. They clean up well and can be used.
Bones
Veteran Member
**Hoping Loretta posts to this thread**
@Loretta Van Riet
Loretta has been a burn ward nurse and knows her stuff. She remotely nursed my severely burned legs back to health with almost no scarring.
She's the absolute best.
@Loretta Van Riet
Loretta has been a burn ward nurse and knows her stuff. She remotely nursed my severely burned legs back to health with almost no scarring.
She's the absolute best.
IF it's for emergency use and you cannot get to an MD such as grid down scenario. Then Xeroform is very good to use. It is just a good all around wound healer. Hospitals use it. Same with a non adhering bandages for later use once it had healed slightly. You let the blisters pop on their own. That is when the wound has the danger of getting infected, once the skin breaks.
Coban is good to hold it in place but you have to be very careful with it. If you put it on too tight it becomes a tourniquet. Only tight enough to keep the bandage from slipping. Tighter is not better in this case.
Someone up thread said it best, you want to keep the wind and temperature off of it. The nerve endings are exposed and this is what causes pain. Keeping it covered and sterile is what allows it to heal. I know in the ER we were trained to use saline only and to put a dry sheet over them to keep the wind off of the burn area and ship them ASAP to the nearest burn unit. The biggest thing was to immediately start an IV because all the fluid in your body goes to the burn area and you can dehydrate quickly (this is for a large burn area).
At some point if the burn is nasty enough you have to remove the dead tissue. This is what burn units have to do. It is extremely painful and can lead to infection.
I would suggest going on You tube and watching any videos from hospital burn units to really learn what you need to do.
Coban is good to hold it in place but you have to be very careful with it. If you put it on too tight it becomes a tourniquet. Only tight enough to keep the bandage from slipping. Tighter is not better in this case.
Someone up thread said it best, you want to keep the wind and temperature off of it. The nerve endings are exposed and this is what causes pain. Keeping it covered and sterile is what allows it to heal. I know in the ER we were trained to use saline only and to put a dry sheet over them to keep the wind off of the burn area and ship them ASAP to the nearest burn unit. The biggest thing was to immediately start an IV because all the fluid in your body goes to the burn area and you can dehydrate quickly (this is for a large burn area).
At some point if the burn is nasty enough you have to remove the dead tissue. This is what burn units have to do. It is extremely painful and can lead to infection.
I would suggest going on You tube and watching any videos from hospital burn units to really learn what you need to do.
Old Gray Mare
TB Fanatic
Not giving medical advice just recounting life experience. We lived in a rural area with one pharmacy and even that one took time and miles to get to. The cost for sterile gauze and dressings you would have thought the fibers were spun gold. When the surgery wound scabbed over I used the pads. Without issue. Did I mention the blizzard? I did follow doctor's advice on wound care religiously other than that. YMMV.
L.A.B.
CV19 West Coast 1st Battalion “Maverick’s”
I like this advice, as it goes to a level above my own knowledge or experience.
I’ve seen aloe work on flare-out burns between 320 - and 340 degrees F on an open palm. The blister formed under the skin held water the size of a tennis ball in diameter, with as much subcutaneous fluid jiggling inside as 50% the volume of an egg yoke.
The ER doctor used silver gel while my brother was there overnight for another issue.
When he was discharged we finished off the healing with the gel obtained from the backyard aloe plant.
The healing process was quick without any complications.
Old Gray Mare
TB Fanatic
In parts of central PA it's possible to get burn cream impregnated with silver. It's the color and consistency of cold cream. First got it as a script from the local pharmacy and loved the results. Aloe is also a go to for burns in our home.
I don't know how this worked but It did. One time I managed to pour hot grease over a finger. It hurt like h@II. The doc wrapped it up, not too tight and the pain subsided. I Think I used the silver cream on it as well. Don't think it even blistered.
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