Burns is one of the common injuries at home. While severe burns require immediate medical care by a doctor, minor burns can be treated at home with natural remedies. In this article, we are going to explore how to treat minor burns at home with a special focus on apple cider vinegar.
What does vinegar do for burns?
Apple cider vinegar for burns blisters
Vinegar has acetic acid, a component of aspirin which can help relieve the pain, itching, and inflammation of a burn. Apple cider is also an antiseptic which helps it keep the burn from being infected. Besides vinegar draws heat from the sun, helping to dull pain naturally. Vinegar is also known to reduce the likelihood that the skin will form blisters after burning. To treat a burn with apple cider vinegar.
Method 1
Step 1: Pack a spray bottle with apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar. Whichever that you choose they both work equally well.
Step 2: Lightly mist the burned area of the body with the vinegar spray from the bottle. Spray the burn every few hours or whenever the pain returns.
Method 2
Spray a cotton ball with vinegar. Lightly dab burned areas with a cotton ball. Repeat as necessary.
Method 3
Add two cups of apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar to warm bathwater. Immerse the burned area for about fifteen minutes, allowing the vinegar bath to soothe and relieve the burned skin. This method is suitable for feet.
Method 4
Wet a washcloth with apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar. Place the washcloth on the burnt area for about fifteen minutes. Repeat if needed.
For the above procedure you will need; Spray bottle, washcloth, cotton ball, apple cider vinegar, and distilled white vinegar and yogurt.
You might want to combine vinegar bath by covering your burned skin with yogurt. Let the yogurt rest on your skin for about 10 minutes. Remove the yogurt after the ten minutes waiting time with cool water.
Caution
- Do not use vinegar on your face. In case you get the vinegar in your eyes, it can burn. Use the cotton ball always to apply the vinegar to your face for the case of sunburn. Visit a doctor for any burn on your face.
- If you have fever, blisters or have chills after receiving a burn, visit a doctor and refrain from home remedies.
- Keep the vinegar spray away from children and pets.
Is vinegar good for chemical burns?
Apple cider vinegar for chemical burns
Vinegar is useful for neutralizing a skin burn caused by alkaline chemicals especially those found in household cleaners, and drain openers. Medical researches have proved that weak acids, such as vinegar, are best for neutralizing alkaline burns. After rinsing the burned area with cool water, apply vinegar to the site immediately. The acid works faster than water alone, potentially preventing more skin damage and pain caused by alkaline chemicals reacting with fat in the skin.
Why does vinegar help a sunburn?
Apple cider vinegar for sunburn care
When you stay in the sun, your body generates melanin to protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation. Melanin gives color to hair, skin, and eyes. But, the skin will eventually reach a point where the melanin cannot be produced fast enough.
This promotes the development of sunburn. How fast you get sunburn varies with several factors inclusive of skin tone. People with fair skin tend to get burned after just fifteen minutes of exposure to the sun during midday. About four hours of exposure to the sun, the blood vessels in the skin dilate, causing the redness linked with sunburn.
There are various methods you can use apple cider vinegar to treat a sunburn. Even though most methods recommend diluting apple cider vinegar before applying it on the sunburn, there are no reliable sources that offer a specific vinegar- to water ratio. Ensure the vinegar is well diluted since high concentrations can result in a burning sensation. Below are methods you can try to treat sunburn using apple cider vinegar:
- Fill a spray with vinegar and water to spray on sunburned skin.
- Immersing a washcloth in vinegar, wringing the cloth out, and patting it softly on the affected areas.
- Taking a cool bath with diluted apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar can cause its burns
Apple cider vinegar is known as a facial toner, acne treatment, hair clarifier, and wart reducer. The acid has some antimicrobial benefits. However, undiluted apple cider vinegar causes its burns, thus always ensure you dilute it properly. There have been various cases of people suffering chemical burns after apple cider vinegar was applied to the burned area. Beware that frequent use of vinegar to treat sunburn can further dry the skin and make it worse.
What can you put on a burn to stop the pain?
What to put on a burn to stop the pain?
Most of the burns are painful. However, they are the most common household injuries. Minor burns usually take about two to three weeks to heal completely if appropriately treated and attended to immediately. Below are some of the home treatments to treat minor burns, reduce pain, heal the skin faster and prevent infections.
Use cool water and compress to stop burn pain
The most common first aid of minor burns at home is to run cool water over the burn area for about fifteen to twenty minutes. The cooling is then followed by washing the affected area with mild soap and water. After you are done with this step apply an ointment. For better results prepare a cold compress with a clean wet cloth and place it over the burn area. This helps to relieve pain and inflammation. Press it over the affected area. Never use ice water on the burns. Ice or can reduce blood flow to the skin, and can result in further damage to the tissue.
Aloe vera for burns
Aloe vera can treat first degree burns and some second-degree burns. Aloe vera has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory elements which make it an effective burn healer. The plant also enhances circulation around the burn, which hinders the growth of bacteria in that area, thus preventing any chance of infections. Apply a layer of pure aloe-vera taken from the leaf of aloe vera plant to the affected area. If you buy aloe-vera from a store ensure it has a high concentration of aloe vera.
Honey for burns
Honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties which can help heal mild burns. Use a cotton swab or a towel immersed in a teaspoon of honey and massage softly for better results. Even though there is no evidence yet, nevertheless, most households are believed to bring honey in to use as a quick home remedy for minor burns. The healthy properties of honey can help reduce the pain and burning sensation.
Coconut oil for burns
One of the ancient remedies for burns is coconut oil due to the presence of vitamin E.Vitamin E treats the burn and also heals the skin. For scarring, you can combine a half teaspoon of lemon juice with a teaspoon of coconut oil and massage on the mark. The acidic properties present in lemon juice helps lighten the mark. Coconut oil also has anti-fungal properties which can prevent infection from a burn.
Raw potato for burns
Raw potato can treat mild skin burns as a result of its anti-irritating and soothing properties. A potato will alleviate the pain and reduce the possibility of blisters. Cut a slice of raw potato and rub it on the burn, make sure the juice from the potato is releasing over the region. On the other hand, you can grate a raw potato and smear it on the affected area for about fifteen minutes. For best results, use any of the methods after the burn occurs.
Black tea bags for burns
Black tea has tannic acid which can help draw heat out of a burn and therefore minimize the pain. To treat a burn with black tea bags, steep three tea bags in a pitcher filled with warm water for several minutes. Let the solution to cool and then soak a clean cloth in it and place it on the burned area. If you need to re-apply. You can apply cold, wet tea bags directly on the burn.
Onion juice for burns
Onion juice has sulfur compounds which can relieve pain and help the burn and minimize the chances of blistering. Cut a fresh oil and apply the juice onto the burn. Use only freshly cut onions; onions lose their medicinal properties in a few minutes after cutting. Rehash the process a few times in a day. Additional tips for stopping burn pain at home
- Apply some white toothpaste or regular non-mentholated shaving cream on the burned region.
- Do not apply oil, butter, egg or hydrogen peroxide to the burn since it might trap the heat instead of drawing it out. For raw egg whites, they might have bacteria.
- Do not use ice on the burned skin since it can slow down the healing process.
- Do not break the blisters if they develop as they might increase the threat of infection.
- Protect the burn from friction.
- Avoid adhesive dressings on the wound.
- Avoid re-injuring the affected area.
Mustard on burns
Not many people know that they can use mustard on sunburns, burns, and heartburns. Read on this section to find out measures on how to use it and other ingredients to combine with it. There have been medical suggestions that mustard has a compound known as isothiocyanate, which is a very strong anti-irritant. It relieves the pain by generating lesser pain. Apart from that, it enlarges blood vessels (vasodilation), hence increasing the blood flow to the underlying tissue.
There are several benefits which come with the use of mustard for burns. Making the skin beautiful after using it for burns. All you need to do is to spread a layer of mustard on the affected area. Choose a milder mustard- yellow mustard. It will give your skin a smoother and healthy glow immediately you rinse off. It offers muscle relaxation. It increases the treatment effects of the salts and thus providing the muscles some relief from pain.
Follow the following steps to treat your burn with mustard:
Step 1: Place the affected part into cool running water as this will aid to relieve the pain immediately and prevent the burn from progressing
Step 2: Apply a thin layer of mustard over the region, and the pain will end ultimately.
Step 3: Make sure you wrap a bandage loosely to the affected region and then leave it there for about half a day.
Step 4: Rinse off any excess mustard gently.
Step 5: Carry on with the treatment for several days to prevent any scarring and discomfort from occurring.
There are many kinds of mustard that have medicinal properties. There is black,yellow, and brown mustard. For the case of burns, the yellow mustard is mostly preferred. You can also use mustard to heal sunburns. It is thought to eliminate heat from the affected area. To use it, rub it on the affected area and allow it to dry after which you will remove it with a piece of soft cotton cloth.
