How long will it take for a burn with broken skin on the finger to heal?

Written by Wang Xiang Li
Emergency Medicine
Updated on September 25, 2024
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When a finger is scalded, local symptoms such as swelling, redness, heat, and pain—an inflammatory response—will occur. The patient will experience significant pain and a burning sensation. Under these circumstances, it is essential to clean the wound promptly to prevent infection. If there is broken skin, it needs to be disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, then rinsed with saline solution, followed by an application of iodine. It is important to keep the skin at the broken site dry and avoid contact with water and contaminants. With such treatment, the broken skin typically forms a scab within about a week. After another week, the skin in the affected area will heal and regenerate.

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Written by Li Xiao Lin
Emergency Department
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What should I do if my finger swells up from a burn?

After a finger burn, it should immediately be rinsed with cold or running water continuously for at least half an hour to cool down the damaged skin. Then, use iodine or alcohol to disinfect the area, followed by covering it with a dressing. If swelling occurs, cold packs with ice water can be applied. Alternatively, magnesium sulfate wet compresses or more traditional remedies, such as continually applying potato slices, can help reduce the swelling. However, these methods will require some time to take effect. The main goal is to alleviate symptoms through anti-inflammatory and pain relief treatments, allowing the inflammation of the soft tissues to subside gradually and the swelling to reduce.

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Written by Wang Xiang Li
Emergency Medicine
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What fruit is good to eat for burns?

After a burn, one should consume more high-calorie, high-protein foods that are easy to digest. It is also appropriate to eat more foods that are high in vitamin C content. This is because vitamin C can promote wound healing and prevent infection. Foods rich in vitamin C include kiwi, citrus, oranges, dates, grapes, etc. Besides vitamin C, zinc also promotes wound healing, reduces scarring, and prevents infection. Foods rich in zinc include kelp, sesame, pork liver, oysters, shrimp shells, seaweed, legumes, etc. Avoid spicy and stimulating foods, and refrain from smoking, alcohol, strong tea, and coffee, especially peppers, onions, and pepper powder. This can effectively prevent wound infection and promote wound healing, killing two birds with one stone.

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Written by Li Xiao Lin
Emergency Department
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Can a burnt finger be wrapped up?

Burned fingers should not be wrapped up. A finger burn occurs when the skin and soft tissues of the finger are damaged by hot water, causing an inflammatory response, which can lead to symptoms such as redness, swelling, heat, and pain, and severe cases can cause necrosis of the skin and dermis. If wrapped up, the temperature of the burned finger cannot decrease, which might worsen the degree of the burn. Generally, after a finger burn, it is advisable to quickly soak or rinse the finger in cold or running water for at least about half an hour to lower the temperature of the finger. This can reduce the severity of the burn and thus protect the finger.

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Written by Chen Xiao Jun
Emergency Department
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Is it useful to apply toothpaste on a burnt finger?

Applying toothpaste to a burn on the finger does not effectively alleviate the condition, nor does it effectively reduce damage to the skin, soft tissues, and muscles. Instead, it is advisable to promptly rinse the burned finger with ice water or cool water repeatedly for about 20 to 30 minutes. If there are ice cubes available at home, they can be used to apply ice packs to the burned area. This can quickly and effectively lower the local skin temperature, reduce the absorption of heat, and minimize damage to the human skin, muscles, and soft tissues. If the condition worsens, it is more appropriate to timely seek medical treatment at a hospital.

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Written by Li Xiao Lin
Emergency Department
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Can a burnt finger heal?

Whether a burnt finger can heal depends on the severity of the burn; we cannot generalize. If the burn affects only the epidermis, it should heal quite well and can fully recover. However, if the burn reaches the dermis beneath the skin, healing can still occur but will take longer and may leave some complications and scarring. Scarring can restrict movement of the finger and affect its appearance. If the burn is very deep, below the dermis, and affects nerves and blood vessels, the healing capacity will be significantly reduced. Healing may be poor, affecting the function or mobility of the finger, leading to severe impairment similar to paralysis. In severe cases, amputation might be necessary.