Chemical Burn Treatment

Most chemical burns are caused by strong acids or substances with a high toxicity, these could be products in the home such as bleach, drain cleaners or even hair and nail products. Chemical burns can be deceiving, some substances can cause deep tissue damage that is not obvious when you first look at it.

To treat a chemical burn you should:

• Remove any chemicals from the skin by running the affected area under cool tap water for 20 minutes, or more. If the chemical involved is in powder form, such as lime, brush it off the skin before running the skin under water.
• Remove any jewellery or clothing that may have been exposed to the chemical.
• Apply a cool wet towel to help relieve pain.
• Cover the burnt skin with a dry sterile dressing or clean cloth.
• If your casualty experiences an increased sensation of burning, rewash the skin for a further 10 minutes.
• Take your casualty to hospital for the extent of the burn to be assessed.