First Aid Tips for Cooking Oil Burns at Home

Cooking oil and grease are common ingredients in every household, especially during festive seasons when people tend to cook a variety of dishes using oil and fat. Cooking oil burns occur when you accidentally come into contact with hot oil. However, it's not overly severe; with proper first aid and appropriate treatment, the burn will heal quickly and minimize scarring.

Step 1: Keep Away from Hot Oil - the Cause of Burns

Immediately move away from the hot oil if it splashes onto you. If you were cooking, to prevent food from burning and causing a fire, turn off the stove before administering first aid.

Next, remove any clothing covering the burnt area as clothes can retain heat and worsen the burn. If clothing sticks to the burn, do not pull forcefully; instead, use scissors to cut around it.

Step 2: Cool the Cooking Oil Burn with Clean Water

Cool the burn for the first 30 minutes from the time of injury. After this period, cooling is less effective. The purpose of cooling the burn is to reduce the skin surface temperature, alleviate swelling, and prevent the burn from penetrating deep into the skin tissue.

Directly cool the burn by running water over it, ensuring that the water covers all parts of the damaged skin. If direct running water is not possible, you can apply a wet towel or immerse the burn in cool water. The appropriate temperature for cool water is around 16-20°C. You should cool the burn for about 15-20 minutes. Note that prolonged immersion may prolong recovery time.

Step 3: Rinse the Burn with Saline Solution

The skin around the burn area is particularly sensitive, providing favorable conditions for bacteria to invade. Physiological saline solution (0.9% NaCl) has antiseptic properties and is gentle on the skin. After cooling the burn, you should rinse the wound thoroughly with physiological saline solution. Besides saline solution, you can use 10% Povidone-Iodine solution (use with caution for pregnant women and people allergic to iodine).

Some solutions, such as medical alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, also have antiseptic properties. However, these solutions are strong antiseptics and may cause skin irritation when used; you should avoid using them.

Step 4: Treat the Burn with Egg Whites and Alcohol

In many traditional remedies, many people believe that using egg whites can help burns heal quickly and prevent scarring due to their collagen content. If you or someone in your home suffers a burn, after rinsing the burn with water to reduce heat, separate the egg white, put it in a bowl, mix it with a little alcohol, stir well, apply it to the burned area, apply 2 - 3 times a day. The skin will quickly reduce swelling.

These steps are essential for providing immediate relief and ensuring proper healing of cooking oil burns at home.