Cool running water for 10 to 20 minutes - that is the treatment, and do it immediately. Never ice (it damages tissue further), never butter or toothpaste (they trap heat and invite infection). Then loosely cover with a clean dressing and leave any blisters alone.
First aid, in order: remove the heat source and any jewelry or tight clothing near the burn (before swelling starts), run cool (not cold, never iced) water over it for 10 to 20 minutes - this is the single intervention proven to reduce burn depth and pain - then cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean non-fluffy dressing. Pain: ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Aftercare days: keep it clean, petroleum jelly or plain aloe for moisture, and do not pop blisters - an intact blister is a sterile bandage; a popped one is an open door for infection. What you can treat at home: first-degree (red, painful, no blisters - like sunburn) and small second-degree burns (blistered) under about 3 inches that are not on the face, hands, feet, joints, or genitals. Get care for: burns larger than your palm on those sensitive areas, white/charred or numb skin (third-degree - numb is worse, not better), chemical or electrical burns, any sign of infection later (spreading redness, pus, fever), and burns in babies. Emergencies skip this list: chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, severe bleeding, or thoughts of self-harm mean call 911, or 988 for a mental health crisis in the US.
What to do
Common questions
Why is ice bad for a burn?
Because the tissue is already injured and ice adds cold injury on top - vasoconstriction cuts blood flow to tissue that desperately needs it to heal, and extreme cold can cause frostbite damage on burned skin. The same logic kills the butter myth: grease seals heat in against the skin and contaminates the wound. Cool running water is the sweet spot: it pulls heat out, limits how deep the burn goes, and eases pain measurably.
Should I pop a burn blister?
No - an intact blister is nature's sterile dressing: the fluid cushions, the skin over it blocks bacteria. Popping converts a healing burn into an open wound with a real infection risk. If a large blister breaks on its own, gently clean it, leave the skin flap in place, apply petroleum jelly and a clean dressing, and watch for infection signs (spreading redness, warmth, pus, fever).
How do I know if a burn is second or third degree?
First degree: red, painful, dry, no blisters (a sunburn). Second: blisters, weeping, very painful - hurts because nerves are alive. Third: white, brown, or charred skin that is numb or leathery - the nerves are destroyed, which is why the most serious burns can paradoxically hurt the least. Anything white/charred/numb, anything circling a limb, or any burn bigger than about 3 inches with those features needs emergency care.
When does a minor burn need a doctor after the fact?
Infection signs in the following days - spreading redness beyond the burn edge, increasing pain instead of decreasing, pus, red streaks, or fever. Also: the burn not healing after about two weeks, pain out of proportion to how it looks, or any burn in someone with diabetes or poor circulation (healing is compromised and infection stakes are higher). Tetanus booster check: if yours is over 5 years old and the skin broke, get the shot. Emergencies skip this list: chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, severe bleeding, or thoughts of self-harm mean call 911, or 988 for a mental health crisis in the US.