Cool running water for twenty minutes, remove anything tight from the area, then cover with cling film laid on loosely. No butter, no ice, no toothpaste, no bursting blisters.
- Cool under running water for twenty minutes. Cool, not ice cold. This is still effective up to three hours after the burn.
- Remove rings, watches and tight clothing from the area before swelling starts, unless it is stuck to the burn.
- Cover with cling film laid lengthways over the burn, not wrapped around, which restricts swelling. A clean plastic bag works for a hand or foot.
- Painkillers at the normal dose.
- Keep the person warm overall, because twenty minutes of cooling can chill them, particularly a child.
Get medical help for burns bigger than the casualty's hand, any burn to the face, hands, feet or genitals, all chemical and electrical burns, any burn on a baby or an older person, and any burn that is white, brown or leathery rather than red and painful.
Cooling limits the depth the burn reaches, because heat continues to damage tissue after the source is removed. Cling film keeps the wound clean, does not stick, and lets a clinician see it without disturbing it.
This is general information, not medical advice, and it does not replace a GP, a pharmacist or NHS 111. Call 999 in an emergency. Full disclaimer.