Uh oh, please help...[burnt finger w/hot sugar]

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Not only did I burn my finger badly on hot sugar, it melted the spatula (rubber, boy do I feel stupid!) I dumped the melted sugar in the sink, stainless, and it isn't coming off! I'm typing with one hand, mt pan may be ruined and I sure hope the sink doesn't need replacement!
Liz

 

[rsnash]

Fill the sink with water above the level of the spilled sugar. It should dissolve eventually. It's still sugar, it is water soluble. Allow it to soak a while, scrub, refill, etc.

Use ice water on sugar burns ASAP. Always keep a bowl of ice water next to you when working with hot sugar, so you have someplace to put your hand IMMEDIATELY if an accident occurs.

Always use wooden utensils when working with sugar. Plastic and rubber will obviously melt. Some silicone products may be safe, but it'd be a close call. Metal transmits the heat of the melting sugar.

Next time use a title that more accurately describes the situation. Like, "Help! Sugar burn!"

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

True, not thinking real well, i guess.
thanks,
liz

 

[Rose Pink]

Ouch! Burns are so painful. I've had sugar burns and can offer you my sympathy. Hope your sink is okay. Spatulas are easy to replace and your finger will most likely heal completely. If it isn't burned too badly, try BurnFree ointment to relieve the pain.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Well, I've had it in cold water for two hours. We had some "second skin" for burns, but even unopened they seem to have dried up, though soaking it on my finger in water helps for about 10 minutes. How long can this hurt this much? I took a pain pill, too.
Liz

 

[wackymother]

Maybe you should call the doctor!

I find with burns that the only thing that really helps is filling a container with water and ice and just walking around the house with my hand in the container, adding fresh ice and cold water as necessary. The next morning it always feels much better.

Should you use Second Skin so soon after the burn--is that what the instructions say to do?

 

[dougp26364]

Definately go see a doctor or, go to the nearest hospital with a burn center. The burn is bad enough now but, this one sounds like it's going to take a little more than home remedies to take care of. Let that bad boy get infected and you'll have a whole other set of problems. Please, seak medical attention for this burn. It may be a small area but it sounds serious and can grow to be a much larger problem.

If there is a minor emergancy center near you I'd go there now. They'll be better able to assess the situation and give you directions as to what you need to do or where you need to go next.

 

[DeniseM]

Liz - When I got my first aide card we were taught not to put anything (2nd skin, ointment, etc.) on a burn the first day because it holds the heat in and causes further damage to the tissue. We were also taught that any 2nd degree or worse burns on the face or hands should seek medical attention. I agree - go to Urgent Care.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Well, I couldn't have managed to drive anywhere. It is better now, a friend of my husband's suggested soaking it in cold ice tea and that helped. I used the old second skin I had (not old as in used, but old as in dried out) and kept hydrating my finger with it on. It's a bad blister, but I can actually touch the area now.
Liz

 

[sandcastles]

I always keep an aloe plant around for burns. I just split a spike of it open and wrap it around my finger. It really works for me.

 

[JudyH]

If its a bad blister (2nd degree burn) you may need some Silverdine Cream, prescription only, for it.

 

[dougp26364]

Well, I couldn't have managed to drive anywhere. It is better now, a friend of my husband's suggested soaking it in cold ice tea and that helped. I used the old second skin I had (not old as in used, but old as in dried out) and kept hydrating my finger with it on. It's a bad blister, but I can actually touch the area now.
Liz

Liz, I say this in all sincerity as a nurse, quit seeking advice on these forums and GO SEE A DOCTOR! I've seen enough small infected burns that resulted in amputation from infection to know they shouldn't be messed with.

Determining grade of burn on the internet is not an easy thing to do. This one is bad enough, even though the area is small, that you should seek the opinion of a professional who can actually SEE the burn.

How to treat a burn has changed so much and, not being a burn nurse, I'm not comfortable advising to put something on it or not put something on it let alone what should be put on it. I've seen enough "home" remidies on this short thread to scare me.

Go to the doctor and quit seeking the advice of those that can't see the wound and don't have the background to know the latest treatments for this particular wound. It's simple enough to do this now but, if it does get worse and you've waited, you could miss your window of opportunity for this to be a minor problem and make it into a major problem.

Or, you could bury your head in the sand and pretend everything will be all right. After all, it might be all right.........then again that finger could already have infection setting in from all the junk you've already put on it and it's just a matter of time before it gets worse.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

I saw my doctor for a pap smear today and didn't ask her about my still heavily bandaged finger, but I go back tomorrow, so I will be sure to ask her. I'm guessing that for know it is protected by the blister and my bandaging, but I'm concerned about when the blister pops.
Thanks,
Liz

 

[dougp26364]

It may very well be nothing to worry about but, from here no one can really assess the burn. Since I'm not a burn nurse I haven't kept up on burn treatments but, I have seen several small but bad burns become major problems. I'm not certain an OBGYN would have been the best place to go but a good family practice doc should be able to look at it and give you better advice than what any of us can provide online. With something like this I always feel that it is better to be safe than sorry. To often I've seen something that should have been minor turn into something major only because it wasn't taken care of properly early on.

 

[wackymother]

Liz, Doug has totally convinced me! Make a trip to your primary care doctor--he/she will probably be able to take a quick look and put your mind at ease, but sometimes little things balloon quickly. I just had an infected mosquito bite! And believe me, it started off like NOTHING and turned into a trip to the emergency room really, really quickly, and in the emergency room they were not happy campers. Just go, it's so much easier than regretting NOT going later. Here's hoping it's nothing!

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

My doctor is a primary care internist, she said it was fine, so I'll just proceed with keeping it bandaged and out of water. (That's my idea, and I swim, but it seems like a good safety precaution.)
Thanks everyone,
I was pretty freaked out and in pain and you guys were my lifeline there.
Liz

 

[dougp26364]

My doctor is a primary care internist, she said it was fine, so I'll just proceed with keeping it bandaged and out of water. (That's my idea, and I swim, but it seems like a good safety precaution.)
Thanks everyone,
I was pretty freaked out and in pain and you guys were my lifeline there.
Liz

I am very glad and somewhat relived that you've had someone actually look at your injury. I'm glad it's not a serious burn and that it will require minimal treatment.

I've seen a few burn patients over the years and sometimes what seems like an innocent but painful burn turns into a monster of a wound because it wasn't cared for properly. Having seen extremities amputated because someone just didn't think it was that bad and waited a couple of weeks to see a doctor is a sad thing to see.