Given the fact that the current pandemic era means we spend more time at home working, studying and such, chances are most of us would choose to cook more than usual.
But no matter you are a novice or a “professional” at cooking, accidents can happen. Maybe you are distracted or somehow got clumsy when your hand accidentally touches a hot pan while say, frying an egg. That being said, if this happens to you, here are 5 Home Remedies To Treat A Burn On Your Hand From A Hot Pan.
1) Cool Water
The first thing that you need to do? Do not wait and act fast by running the burn under running cool water. Here are the general rules of thumb (no pun intended): Run cool water over the burn area for around 15-20 minutes. Keep in mind this method is only applicable if you suffer from a first- or second-degree burn. Doing so not only helps to avoid further injury but also relieve pain and swelling, thanks to the cooling effect of the water that absorbs the heat.
2) Mild Soap & Water
This process applies if you follow the first step above. Use mild soap (preferably the antibacterial kind) and gently clean the burn (do not scrub to prevent irritation) under running cool water.
3) Cool Compresses
Got unlucky on that same day your neighbourhood is suffering from a God-knows-how-long water supply cuts? Well, hope is not lost as you can try this method via cool compresses. Use a cool compress or if you don’t own one, a clean wet cloth or towel would do just fine. Placed it over the burn area for around 15 to 20 minutes to relieve pain and swelling. But a word of warnings, though: Do not overdo it since cold compresses can cause burn irritation on the affected area. Also, do not use ice or ice water to treat your burns since they can restrict blood flow to the skin.
4) Aloe Vera
You might have heard of a so-called age-old remedy where you need to slather the burn area with… butter. Well, the short answer is don’t. Because butter actually retains heat and worse, it may increase the risk of infection.
Try aloe vera instead. Just apply a layer of aloe vera gel to the burn area. Apparently, aloe vera contains natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which in turn, helps to stop bacteria from growing while promoting circulation. However, if you decided to use aloe vera gel to relieve the burn area, make sure it has at least 90% of aloe vera that comes from the leaf itself.
5) Honey
The versatility of honey stretches more than just being a sweetener and a remedy for cough and sore throat. You may also use honey to relieve minor burns, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. According to the US National Institutes of Health, you need to immediately run the burn area under (cool) tap water. Then, apply around 15-30 ml of honey topically onto the burn area. You can also soak the honey in gauze prior to application. If possible, apply dressings to prevent honey from seeping out of the burn area. NDTV Food, in the meantime, suggests using a cotton swab or a towel dipped with a teaspoon of honey and gently massaging it on the burn area.
Now that we have covered 5 home remedies for burns, there are other things you need to keep in mind. For example, try your best to minimise sun exposure since it may increase the risk of burn on your affected area.
And other than butter mentioned in point no. 4, avoid using these ineffective and potentially unsafe remedies to treat the burns. This includes essential oils and certain cooking oils, namely coconut oil, since both of them trap heat. This, in turn, prevents burn from healing. Avoid using toothpaste either. Not only is toothpaste not sterile but may also irritate the burn and causes bacterial infection.
