by William Altgeld

Created on: January 31, 2008

Recognizing the degree of a burn is not Rocket Science! We've all experienced the discomfort of a first degree burn by spending too much time in the sun. The red flush of the skin and the hot feeling to the exposed surfaces heralds the experience of a first degree burn.

Some even venture into the area of second degree burning by a really long exposure to sunlight. Second degree simply means that the surface of your skin has experienced enough thermal damage to form blisters. These blisters are filled with your own body serum or white blood cells that form your body's first line of defense against invading bacteria.When you sustain a second degree burn, you have seriously compromised the integrity of you skin. The blisters form a fluid barrier between the surface of the skin and the underlying damaged tissue. Therefore, blisters should remain intact for as long as possible. Any blisters that do break prematurely should be covered with a sterile dressing to help prevent infection!

A third degree burn is by far the most dangerous, and yet least painful of all burns. The identifying characteristics of a third degree burn is that there is extensive damage to the upper and deeper layers of the skin. Often referred to as "charring," thermal injury has extended deeply into the tissues causing permanent damage to the regeneration layer of the skin including sweat glands, hair follicles and nerve endings. This deep and extensive damage makes it nearly impossible for the wound to repair itself. The only way a burn like this could heal is by what is called,"secondary intent." That means that it would have to heal from the edges in by forming fibrous scar tissue, a process that would take months!

Surgical intervention for third degree burns is almost always required. Damaged tissue must be removed from the burn through a process called debridment. Next, the exposed tissues are covered with the person's own skin by taking a machine called a dermatome that will cut a split thickness of skin off of an undamaged area of the body such as the thigh or lower back. This piece of skin will form a bridge over which new skin cells can quickly form. Unfortunately, the underlying damage is permanent which means that feeling, hair and normal sweat and body oil production will never be the same.

Any degree of burning to the skin should be avoided or minimized. Sun blockers that were once thought to be the answer to sun exposure are rapidly falling out of favor since statistics are showing no reduction in the rate of skin cancer. The latest research is saying that moderate exposureto the sun with unprotected skin is actually better for you than trying to block it. The reason is that sunlight exposure actually helps our body synthesize Vitamin D. This essential vitamin has a powerful effect on our immune system which is a key element in helping our body prevent cancer.

That brings us "full-circle" in understanding that,"everything in moderation,"is key in maintaining a healthy body!

Learn more about this author, William Altgeld.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.