Forget the degrees – three truly unique types of burns

JustAnswer gets a lot of burn-related questions. The range of the types of burns may surprise you.

Dealing with a burn is never much fun. Different people tend to celebrate different events, but no one ever jumped up and down in joy after discovering a new burning sensation. And although they typically aren’t enjoyable, there can be quite a bit of variety in the types of burns people may encounter. 

And this isn’t about degrees – although the severity of a burn is an important factor when you’re looking for ideal treatments. What we’re looking at here are some very distinctive ways people have gotten themselves burned. 

At JustAnswer we’ve encountered a wide range of of burn-related questions, and by looking at the most visited pages over the course of a year, we can see those inquiries that have attracted the most interest. Three of these burning questions in particular stand out from the pack, as well as from each other due to the vastly different situations involved. Still, they all have one very notable element in common. 

For each of them, the Experts had the answers.
 

Many burns are skin related… but pizza can be a factor too

Some of the most common types of burns are those caused by hot liquids and objects. These include exposure to steam, accidents when trying to build fires, and even the inhalation of too much smoke. Of course, burns can stem from any number of sources, including some that you might not expect. 

The third most visited page related to burns on JustAnswer shows us a different, and quite delicious, culprit: 

I just burned my upper lip and a little above it (in the skin area) on pizza that came out of oven, baked at 450 degrees. What should I do?  

First and foremost, this burning question showcases an important lesson for all of us. Sometimes we’re in too much of a hurry, and the prospect of a cheesy slice straight out of the oven can make impatience even harder to resist. That being said, a burn on your lips is a great reminder to take things slower in the future! 

The customer had applied ice indirectly to the area, and was seeking out advice for what they should do next. After receiving more information about the burn, including the fact that it was red and swollen quite a bit, the Expert, Dr. Mark, had this to say: 

“Well, ice, as you have done, can help to reduce the swelling in the area. But as for the actual “burn” — this is relatively common (you aren’t the first person to have bitten into a too hot slice of pizza or a scalding hot coffee). The area will heal, within several days (usually 7-10 days). During this time, just keeping the area clean is usually enough to get this to heal correctly. If you have a lot of pain from this area, the use of topical anesthetics (numbing creams) can help with the pain as it heals.” 
 

A burning eye can be a more painful type of burn than scalded skin

Ordinary tasks like taking a shower and washing your hair don’t usually carry much significance, but an everyday undertaking can become an exercise in pain if you aren’t careful to protect your eyes. Soaps, shampoos and conditioners can cause quite a sting once they invade your eyes, but in most cases the discomfort should subside quickly as you flush them out. 

Eye pain that persists can be a debilitating and disheartening condition.
 

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, as is evidenced by the most visited burn question on JustAnswer. This inquiry, which accounted for nearly 15% of all the views, shows us a customer who was concerned about their situation after getting a different type of hair product in their eyes. 

I just got hair dye in my eye. It burned but I flushed it with water of about a total of 10 minutes. My eye is very very red and swollen. Should I do more? 

Dr. A.S. Desai, a verified ophthalmologist on JustAnswer, confirmed that the customer did the right thing by thoroughly washing the eyes out, as hair dye in an eye could be considered a chemical injury. Beyond that, she recommended using lubricating eye drops, like Refresh Tears or Systane, once every three hours. This is because although the irritants might have been successfully flushed out, their effects could still persist. She went on to say:

“Just look out for symptoms such as persistent watering and pain along with redness, in which case it would be better to get the eye examined by an ophthalmologist…. Just try with the lubricating eye drops tonight, if the eye is swollen tomorrow the start with Alaway eye drops, and if the symptoms or redness persist (along with pain) beyond 5-6 days, then consider a visit to the ophthalmologist. If (your) symptoms begin to reduce then just continue with the above treatment for 2 weeks.” 
 

Burning skin? Check. Burning eyes? Check. Burning… money?! 

Some burns afflict our skin, or our eyes… and others go even deeper. Some types of burns can even make you fear for the safety of your finances! 

Money does get burned sometimes, like in a movie or a television show for dramatic effect. But it doesn’t always happen on purpose – especially when it comes to real life, where no one with a typical income will ever choose drama over having some extra cash. That being said, burned money is still something we can encounter from time to time, and when it does happen, it’s natural to wonder if you’re looking down at a charred heap of worthless paper… or if there’s still value in those scorched notes. 

Can a bank replace money that was accidently burned, but still has its serial #’s on it? 

It’s something many of us have wondered at one point or another, even if we’ve been lucky enough to keep our wallets away from stray wildfires. It also applies when a $10 bill that has seen better days reaches a point where it’s held together by tape, or become so deteriorated it’s barely even legible anymore. So are these busted up bills still worth something? 

The responding Expert had some good news, as he explained that although badly mutilated bills (defined as those that are not clearly more than half of the original currency note) require special handling and examination, damaged money can be redeemed at a bank. 

“If your currency is 50% intact or better, it’s a routine matter. Less than 50%, you have a special case…. But even shredded up (money) can be redeemed. See your bank. Good luck!” 

Want more information about the various types of burns you might encounter? Need help with a burning question, as soon as possible? The Experts on JustAnswer are available to help, 24 hours a day, whether the burn is in your eyes, on your skin, or even in your wallet.  
 

Have you been burned in a unique and interesting way? You have our sympathy, as well as our invitation to share in the comments below!