• Thermal burns

o Flame

o Scald (from steam, hot or molten liquid)

o Contact (from a hot object, such as a hot cooking pan)

TABLE 1
Classification of Burns Based on Depth
Characteristics

Healing
Classification Cause Appearance Sensation time Scarring

Superficial burn Ultraviolet light, Dry and red; Painful 3 to 6 days None
very short flash blanches with
(flame pressure
exposure)
Superficial Scald (spill or Blisters; moist, red Painful to air 7 to 20 days Unusual;
partial- splash), short and weeping; and potential
thickness burn flash blanches with temperature pigmentary
pressure changes
Deep partial- Scald (spill), Blisters (easily Perceptive More than Severe
thickness burn flame, oil, unroofed); wet or of pressure 21 days (hypertrophic)
grease waxy dry; variable only risk of
color (patchy to contracture
cheesy white to
red); does not
blanch with
pressure
Full-thickness Scald Waxy white to Deep Never (if the Very severe
burn (immersion), leathery gray to pressure burn affects risk of
flame, steam, charred and black; only more than 2 contracture
oil, grease, dry and inelastic; percent of
chemical, high- does not blanch the total
voltage with pressure surface
electricity area of the
body)