Determining the Seriousness of a Burn

British Columbia Specific Information

Burns can be serious injuries. If you have a serious burn injury, call 9-1-1 right away. For more information, or if you are not sure if you should contact a health care provider, call 8-1-1.

According to the World Health Organization, a burn is considered serious if it:

covers more than 15% of the body surface of an adult;
covers more than 10% of the body surface of a child;
involves someone who is very young, elderly, in poor health, or who has a pre-existing medical condition such as diabetes;
is a third degree burn;
occurs on your face, hands, feet or genitals;
encircles your leg or arm; or
is associated with trauma.

Smoke inhalation is also a serious injury and requires medical attention right away. For more information, see the World Health Organization handout on the Management of Burns.

Overview

The seriousness of a burn is determined by:

The depth of the burn (first-, second-, third-, or fourth-degree).
- First-degree burns are burns of the first layer of skin
- Second-degree burns. There are two types of second-degree burns:
  - Superficial partial-thickness burns injure the first and second layers of skin.
  - Deep partial-thickness burns injure deeper skin layers.
- Third-degree burns (full-thickness burns) injure all the skin layers and tissue under the skin. These burns always require medical treatment.
- Fourth-degree burns extend through the skin to injure muscle, ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and bones. These burns always require medical treatment.
The size of the burn.
The cause (thermal, electrical, chemical, radiation, or friction).
The part of the body where the burn occurred.
The age and health of the burn victim.
Other injuries.

What to think about

It is important to watch for signs of infection during the healing of any burn.

Credits

Current as of: March 22, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine