How to Accelerate Skin Growth for Burn Wounds

If you expose your skin to high heat, such as a boiling pot of water or a hot automobile part on your car, your skin may become burned and leave you with a painful, tender wound. Your skin will naturally heal itself over time, but the proper after-care and treatment can help accelerate healing and skin re-growth.

Evaluate the seriousness of the burn. First-degree burns cause redness and pain and are treatable at home. Second-degree burns create blisters and can be treatable at home, although the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends seeing a doctor 2. Third-degree burns, which leave your skin pale, leathery or looking charred, should only be treated by an emergency medical professional.

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Fill a dish or tub with cold water and soak your burn for 15 minutes, advises the American Medical Association’s first aid handbook 1.

Remove the burned area from the water and gently pat it dry with a clean cloth. Do not rub the burn with the towel.

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Smooth on an antibiotic ointment or cream and loosely wrap a gauze bandage around the area, according to the American Medical Association. Change the bandage every day until the burn is healed.

Eat high-protein, high-calorie foods, recommends the University of Michigan Health System, to accelerate the healing of your wounds. Suggested foods include beans, meat, peanut butter, fish and eggs.

Drink a lot of water, which your body needs to combat infection and replenish its tissues. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that burn wound victims should drink a minimum of six glasses of water every day 2.

Use the burned parts of your body normally as much as you can, suggests the University of Michigan Health System. This enhances healing by keeping blood circulating through the area, and also helps to keep the area from becoming stiff.

Take antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin C. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that these vitamins enhance skin re-growth so your burn heals faster 2. Take 1,000 mg of vitamin C twice a day, and 400 IU of vitamin E daily.

Tips

First degree burns typically heal within six days while second-degree burns usually heal within three weeks, according to the American Medical Association.

If you want help with dealing with the burn pain, the American Medical Association suggests taking a naproxen, ibuprofen or acetaminophen tablet. The association states that the latter two will also help reduce swelling.

Warnings

Wash your hands before changing your bandages.

Never pop any blisters that may form around the burn area.