Question

A one-year-old child accidentally burned their hand with a hot iron piece. The wound has mostly healed, and the child has no pain, but the skin is slightly red and swollen with hardening. What medication should be used to prevent scarring?

Answer

Burns can be categorized into three degrees of severity: first-degree burns only affect the superficial layer of the skin, with regional mild swelling, no blisters, and significant pain; second-degree burns affect the skin layers, with regional swelling and pain, accompanied by blisters of varying sizes; third-degree burns affect subcutaneous tissue, including fat, muscle, and even bone, appearing grayish or reddish-brown. For first-degree or shallow second-degree burns, scarring is typically not an issue; however, if the burn is more severe, scarring may occur, and it is not directly related to the type of medication used.