Degrees of Burns

Injury caused as a result of burns may range from a simple burn, which can be treated at home with the basic first aid, to severe burns, which require sophisticated treatment under the watchful eyes of medical professionals. At times, these burns can be severe enough to cause the death of an individual. The severity of the burns is measured by different classification systems. One such burns classification system which classifies burns according to several degrees has been used since a long time. In simple words, the degrees of burns can be defined as the severity of the burns, i.e. more severe the burns, higher will be the degree.

The Six Degrees of Burns

There are basically six different degrees of burns, however, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns are more widely known than the 4th 5th and 6th degree. This can be attributed to the fact that it is almost impossible to survive 4th, 5th and 6th degree burns. Though blur, the chances of surviving 4th degree burns do exist, however, the same can't be said about 5th and 6th degree burns. Discussed below are each of these six degrees along with their symptoms and treatment methods.

1st Degree Burns
First degree burns are typically characterized by redness of skin and minor pain in the affected area. The affected area may also experience some swelling and sensitivity to touch. These burns are typically inflicted upon coming in contact with hot water or suffering from sunburns. In most cases, it is possible to treat these burns at home. At times, however, some cases may require proper medical treatment by a certified medical professional.

2nd Degree Burns
Second degree burns are relatively more severe than first degree, as they tend to affect the dermis, i.e. the deep vascular inner layer, of the skin. These burns are typically characterized by red blisters on the surface of the skin and a significant amount of pain. Such burns are generally inflicted upon coming in contact with flames, boiling liquids or other chemicals. It is necessary to consult a doctor for treating second degree burn injuries, as there are significant chances of infection.

3rd Degree Burns
Among the most widely known degrees of burns, the third degree burns are the most severe, however, they seldom result in loss of life when proper treatment is initiated in time. These burns are generally caused upon coming in contact with chemicals or due to fire breakout and electric shock. Though not fatal in most cases, these burns can be quite damaging as they destroy all the three layers of the skin. Such severe burns require hospitalization and proper monitoring, as the chances of the injured person going into shock owing to the fear cannot be ruled out.

4th Degree Burns
The severity of fourth degree burns is aptly highlighted by the fact that these burns don't just damage the skin, but also damage the muscles, ligaments and tendons lying beneath the skin. These burns can be induced upon an individual in case of a fire break out or a severe electric shock. The chances of these burns resulting in fatality are also quite high. However, if an individual does survive these burns, he will have to undergo skin grafting as a part of treatment procedure.

5th Degree Burns
Fifth degree burns are the burns wherein everything up to the bone of the person is burnt. In these types of burns all the layers of skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons and even the bone is damaged to some extent. There are virtually no chances of surviving such burns, however, if at all there is any miracle survival, the individual will have to opt for the amputation of the affected area as the last resort of treatment.

6th Degree Burns
Undoubtedly the most severe among burns, sixth degree burns are only diagnosed at the time of the autopsy of the individual. In case of sixth degree burns, even the bone is damaged to a great extent, and sometimes even charred. It is impossible for humans to sustain such severe burns, and thus death becomes inevitable.

These were the various degrees according to which burn injuries are classified. More recently however, a new classification to determine the severity of burn related injuries has been introduced. The new classification takes epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layers of skin into consideration. That being said, any degree of burn is serious and therefore, has to be subjected to proper treatment.