How long does minor burn treatment take to work for minor burns?

Cooling limits ongoing heat injury, while a suitable non-stick dressing protects the area from friction and contamination. Soreness may ease before the surface looks normal. A small superficial burn can remain tender, red or mildly swollen while new skin forms. Do not burst blisters: the intact skin helps protect the tissue underneath. Healing may take longer when the burn is deeper, larger, over a joint, or affected by conditions that slow skin repair.

Hold the area under cool running water for twenty minutes as soon as possible, removing nearby jewellery or clothing unless it is stuck. Do not apply ice, butter, oils or adhesive dressings. Cover the cooled burn with a clean non-stick dressing or loose clean material, and keep it protected. Use pain relief only if it is suitable for you and follow the product instructions. Change the dressing as advised and watch the skin each day.

Get urgent care for a burn that is deep, larger than your palm, circumferential, electrical or chemical, or on the face, hands, feet, genitals or a major joint. Seek help for worsening pain, spreading redness, pus, fever, numbness or a wound that is not improving. Chemical exposure needs prolonged rinsing and urgent advice; avoid touching contaminated material with bare skin.

Ask whether the depth and location need an examination, which dressing suits the wound, how often it should be changed, and which signs suggest infection. If your tetanus protection is uncertain, ask whether a booster is needed.