By Carin Mangimeli

You touch a hot pan, spill boiling water, or brush against something hot, and suddenly your skin is burning. What should you do next?

The first few minutes matter. Proper burn first aid can help reduce pain and limit further injury.

1. Stop the Burning Process

First, remove the person from the source of the burn.

That may mean:

• Moving a hand away from a hot surface
• Getting away from steam or hot liquid
• Removing hot or wet clothing that is not stuck to the skin
• Moving away from flames or another heat source

Do not put yourself in danger while helping someone else.

2. Cool the Burn With Water

Once the heat source has been removed, cool the burn as soon as possible.

The American Heart Association recommends cooling thermal burns with clean cool or cold water for at least 10 minutes.

Running water is often the easiest option.

If running water is not available, a clean, cool compress may be used instead, but it should not be freezing cold.

Do Not Put Ice Directly on a Burn

It may seem logical to grab an ice cube or ice pack, but direct ice can further damage burned tissue.

The American Heart Association specifically recommends not applying ice directly to a burn.

For larger burns, be careful not to cool so much of the body that the person becomes hypothermic. This is especially important with children.

3. Cover the Burn Loosely

After cooling the burn, it may be helpful to cover the area loosely with a sterile, dry dressing.

Avoid wrapping the area tightly.

The purpose of the dressing is to help protect the damaged skin from contamination and additional injury.

4. Don’t Break the Blisters

Burn blisters should generally be left intact.

Although it may be tempting to pop a blister, the skin over the blister helps protect the tissue underneath. Current first aid guidance recommends leaving burn blisters intact because doing so can improve healing and reduce pain.

If a blister breaks on its own, keep the area clean and protect it with a clean dressing.

Skip the Home Remedies

Burns have attracted plenty of home remedies over the years.

You may have heard recommendations involving:

• Butter
• Oils
• Toothpaste
• Petroleum jelly
• Various foods or household products

These are not recommended as immediate first aid for a burn.

Your priorities should be much simpler:

Stop the burning, cool the burn, and protect it.

The AHA also advises against using natural remedies such as honey or potato-peel dressings for routine burn treatment.

When Should You Seek Medical Care for a Burn?

Not every tiny burn requires a trip to the emergency department, but some burns should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Seek medical attention for burns involving:

• Blistering or broken skin
• Difficulty breathing
• The face or neck
• The hands
• The genitals
• A large portion of the body
• Any burn that otherwise causes concern

These are specifically identified in current AHA first aid guidance as burns that should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

Call 911 for serious burns, breathing problems, significant electrical injuries, major trauma, or whenever the person’s condition appears life-threatening.

What About Electrical Burns?

Electrical injuries require extra caution.

Never touch a person who is still in contact with an electrical source.

Turn off the electricity first when it can be done safely. High-voltage electrical injuries, including contact with power lines, should be handled by emergency personnel.

Even when an electrical burn looks small on the surface, internal injuries may be much more serious. The American Heart Association recommends medical assessment after electrical shock because the extent of the injury may not be immediately visible.

A Simple Way to Remember Burn First Aid

For most thermal burns:

Remove. Cool. Cover.

1. Remove the person from the heat source.
2. Cool the burn with clean cool or cold water for at least 10 minutes.
3. Cover loosely with a clean, dry sterile dressing.

And remember:

No ice. Don’t break blisters. Don’t reach for the butter.

First Aid Training Helps You Know What to Do

Burns are just one of many emergencies covered in a quality First Aid course.

Hands-on CPR and First Aid training can prepare you to respond to burns, bleeding, choking, medical emergencies, cardiac arrest, and other situations where knowing what to do can make a difference.

In-Pulse CPR offers American Heart Association CPR, AED, and First Aid training at convenient classroom locations.

Find an Upcoming CPR and First Aid Class

Learning first aid before an emergency happens can make those first few minutes much less uncertain.

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Updated 2026: This article was originally written by Carin Mangimeli and has been reviewed and updated in 2026 to reflect current American Heart Association and American Red Cross first aid guidance for thermal burns.