Before the smart bandage arrives, here are some hot tips about burns

MEDICINE is improving all the time.

I was impressed to see scientists are testing a new “smart” bandage for people with burn injuries which changes colour if bacteria gets into the wound.

Hopefully this will reduce the need for antibiotics – a lot of antibiotics have to be used for more severe burns at the moment, just to be on the safe side.

I thought it would be worth sharing a few tips about dealing with burns as they can be quite tricky to handle.

First of all it’s important to stop the source of heat. If there are flames then they should be stopped first – with water if it’s appropriate, and with a blanket if it’s an oil-based fire.

If it’s an electrical burn, you don’t want to grab the person as you might end up with volts flowing through you, too.

Switch off the electricity if possible or move the person away from the electrical source with something that doesn’t conduct electricity. The wooden handle of a broom might do it.

Burns should be treated immediately by running the area under a cold tap or shower. A common mistake is doing this for five minutes but heat can continue to cause damage.

Twenty minutes of normal cold tap water is what you should be aiming for.

A burn that needs medical attention can be covered in clingfilm. This can be soothing, it doesn’t stick, it protects the wound and the doctor can see through it to see what’s going on.

Remove the first few centimetres so no bacteria gets into the wound.

An area like a hand can be difficult to wrap, so a clear plastic bag will work.

It’s important not to wrap the wound too tightly as swelling can occur – for that reason any jewellery should be removed too.