Condition
Minor burns
Superficial burns affecting the outer skin layers, causing redness, pain, and sometimes blistering, that usually heal without scarring when small and well cared for.
See a clinician
Some causes of minor burns need medical care, not self-treatment. Seek help for any of these:
- Burns larger than the palm of your hand, or on the face, hands, feet, genitals, or over a joint — seek medical care.
- Deep burns that look white, leathery, or charred, or cause little pain (full-thickness) — emergency care.
- Chemical or electrical burns, or any burn with signs of infection (increasing pain, pus, fever) — get medical help.
- Burns in infants, older adults, or anyone with diabetes or poor circulation — have them assessed.
What may help
Remedies studied for minor burns, ranked by strength of evidence.
- B Aloe vera (topical) herb
Topical gel shortens second-degree burn healing time by ~4 days versus comparators, with no rise in infection risk; pooled trials are few and of limited quality.
For small, shallow burns the priorities are cooling with running water, gentle cleaning, and covering. Topical aloe vera has trial evidence for speeding healing of minor (second-degree) burns; it is an adjunct to, not a substitute for, proper first aid and medical care when a burn is serious.