A bad sunburn could go beyond a first-degree burn

A critical countdown begins the minute a person sustains a burn to their skin because the next 72 hours will ultimately decide its outcome.

Travis Perry, MD, with Comprehensive Burn and Wound Specialists, said people often underestimate a burn’s ability to harm the body because they think that what they see at the moment is what they’ll get in the long-term. Science proves opposite: A burn can actually morph and deepen up to 72 hours after the initial incident.

“Individuals need to understand that immediate medical evaluation of a burn is critical because once a patient sustains a burn injury we are on a timeline,” Dr. Perry said. “How soon the burn process is stopped and how quickly a person gets specialized medical care determines the physiological, functional and cosmetic outcomes of the injury.”

The degree of a burn is diagnosed through the clinical exam done by a specialist, and is often determined by the level of skin that is involved. First-degree burns are superficial burns that only involve the top layer of skin. Second-degree burns involve the dermis – the thick layer of living tissue below the epidermis that forms the true skin, which involves blood capillaries, nerve endings, sweat glands and other structures.

Third-degree burns involve the fatty tissue underneath the epidermis, and fourthdegree burns involve the deeper structures including tendons, muscle and bone. Diagnosis of a burn is a process that involves observation up to 72 hours after the incident has occurred.

“Patients may come in with what appears to be a superficial, Doctor with Comprehensive Burn and Wound Specialists second-degree burn, but because of the natural progression of a burn injury, microscopically it could end up being a third-degree burn with a 72-hour time frame,” said Dr. Perry, who practices with Premier Physician Network.

Flame burns and scald burns are the two most commonly seen. Flame burns are common in young adults, especially young males who tend to be engaged in risky activity. Scald burns are common among the young children and older adults. Children’s burns are caused by immature judgement while older adults may experience burns from accidents as a result of other medical issues such as a cardiac event, Dr. Perry said.

Dr. Perry said knowledge is critical when it comes to properly treating a burn:

There are specific characteristics of burns that should always be evaluated by a specialist. Any burn that is larger than a quarter, forms blisters, is dry or tender to the touch, is firm or is surrounded by a large ring of redness needs medical attention. Such characteristics signal the burn is equal to a second-degree burn.

Know the look. Seek advice when in doubt.

Those who think they are in the clear because their burn has not penetrated the first layer of skin shouldn’t be so quick to relax. It is possible for some first-degree burns — such as a bad sunburn — to convert to seconddegree burns.

It’s a race against time.

Seeking medical attention for burns as fast as possible is extremely important. Burns that convert to the seconddegree stage or beyond are more susceptible to infection. A person has 72 hours in which to seek medical attention for a burn in order to obtain the best outcomes of care.

Wives’ tales are harmful.

There are misconceptions about how to treat burns that can actually do significant harm. Applying grease and butter to a burn, for instance, can expose the skin to bacteria and infection. And the idea that placing the burn in cold or freezing water will stop the pain and progress actually do the exact opposite.

“Submerging a burn into ice water actually causes the burn to go much deeper into the skin while causing the small blood vessels that supply that skin to clot off,” Dr. Perry said. “The skin no longer receives the nutrients, oxygen and blood supply that is needs and ultimately dies off. I can still remember when I was a kid one of the beliefs was that it was good to let a burn ‘air out.’ However, a burn needs the right amount of moisture and humidification to heal. Drying it out impedes the healing process.”

For more information on burns or to find a Premier Physician Network physician near you, visit www.premierhealthspecialists.com/burnandwound.

For decades, soon-to-be parents have browsed the baby aisles looking for the perfect items for their new baby’s room. For most parents, that included a bedding set that included not only sheets, but comforters, dust ruffles and crib bumpers. Crib bumpers are those 6-inch high cloth strips that tied to crib slats meant to keep baby from injuring if they hit the side.

However as of last month, you should no longer be seeing crib bumpers in your favorite baby product stores due to a new statewide ban. This legislation, which was passed last year as part of Senate Bill 332, prohibits the sale of any nonmesh crib liners in the state. This ban is similar to other laws in Chicago, Maryland and the town of Watchung, N.J.

The law does allow for the sale of mesh liners for at least the next three years. At that time, the House of

Did you know nutrition may play a role in anxiety, depression, Attention Deficit Disorder and Alzheimer’s disease? Studies are finding that certain nutrition deficiencies or overloads can affect different chemical and inflammatory processes leading to such conditions.

First, we have chemical substances throughout our body called neurotransmitters that are like little communicators. Some of the common neurotransmitters found in the brain include serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

Serotonin works with different brain processes Representatives will review current research and the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s regulations to identify if mesh crib bumper pads should be included in the ban.

The ban was recommended based on research done by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) who has advocated for babies to sleep on their back and in a bare crib. Excess items in the crib such as bumper pads, blankets, stuffed animals and pillows pose suffocation, entrapment and strangulation hazards.

As Ohio grapples with some of the highest infant mortality rates in the state, addressing the many causes of these deaths, including unsafe sleep practices, is paramount. The Ohio Department of Health reported that between 1985 and 2005, 27 infant deaths were attributed to strangulation or suffocation by crib bumper pads.

“Crib bumpers, often thought to protect children from striking the sides of a crib, actually do much more harm than good,” says Jessica Saunders, director of Dayton Children’s Center for Child Health and Wellness. “The display and sale of them can be confusing for parents as we decide what is needed to keep babies safe and comfortable.

“As with a lot of safety legislation, we now have an opportunity to continue education on the importance of keeping a baby’s sleep environment as safe as possible. Not using crib bumpers is a step in the right direction.”

While toys, blankets and bumper pads may be cute, they are not necessary and put baby at risk. All parents need to remember are the ABCs of safe sleep: Put baby Alone, on his or her Back in a Crib.