My burn is open, the skin has come off. Can I still apply the honey or aloe vera to it?

A burn is an injury that could be caused due to heat, electricity, cold, friction, radiation, light and chemicals. The severity of a burn varies depending on the amount of damage that has been caused. Going by this, burns can be classified into three categories, namely; first degree burns, second degree burns and the most severe of all, third degree burns. First degree burns are not usually of a serious nature, as they tend to affect the uppermost layer of the skin i.e. the epidermis. These burns may be painful, but there is not blistering associated with them. Second degree burns on the other hand, penetrate much deeper into the skin, affecting both the dermis (underlying skin layer) and the epidermis, and are very painful, but are not serious unless an infection sets in.

The third category of burns is the third degree burns. These are the most serious kinds of burns, as they damage both inner and outer layers of skin, hair nerves, tissues, organs, muscles, glands and fat. These types of burns are usually painless as most of the nerves are destroyed. These kinds of burns very frequently result in death. As you stated that the skin has now come off the burn, it is indicative of the fact that the wound is healing in a manner that it is supposed to. It is perfectly safe to apply both aloe vera and honey on to the wound at this point, till the wound heals totally. Since the blister has now burst to reveal an open wound, you would first need to wash the affected area well, with the help of a mild anti-bacterial soap and water. Gently dry the wound using a clean cotton towel and then apply a thin layer of either aloe vera gel or honey on to it.

Honey contains anti-bacterial properties which will prevent any kind of infection from setting in, while the aloe vera gel will help soothe the skin. You have an option of applying fresh aloe gel that has been extracted from the leaf, or a cream that is available in stores. Fresh aloe gel can be applied by slicing a small piece of an aloe leaf in half and extracting the gel out of it. A thin layer of this gel should be applied on the wound 3-4 times a day. If you can get hold of organic honey, there would be nothing like it, as the one available in stores generally has preservatives added to it.

answered by G M

Alternative treatment for burns

You can safely apply honey or aloe vera to your burn even once the skin has come off. By this you probably mean that the blister has burst and the burn wound is now open. This is natural for a burn injury and means that the healing process is taking place normally.

The first thing you should do when your blister bursts is to wash the area gently with mild soap and water. After this, gently dry the wound and then apply either honey or aloe. Aloe essentially moisturizes and soothes the wound, while honey has antibacterial properties and will therefore protect the area from any infection. This is particularly useful now that there is no skin protecting the wound. You can either use fresh aloe, breaking off a piece from a plant, or else use aloe gel or cream that is quite easily available. One home remedy that you should avoid using is vinegar, as it will unnecessarily sting.

Till the burn heals, you can apply honey and aloe several times a day. Be sure to also wash the wound at least once a day. If necessary, you can also apply a cold compress sometimes. Use cold water, not ice, and make sure that the cloth you use is clean.

answered by G R