So much happens in the summer, making it a prime time for injuries. Time spent at backyard barbecues, summer swims in Central Valley’s lakes and rivers, afternoons and evenings in the pool, bike rides, camping in the national parks, hikes, and playground play all put you and your family at risk of a scrape, cut, or burn.
Some injuries are easily treated with your home first aid kit. Others require professional medical care to prevent infection, repair deep tissue damage, or avoid scars. Our guide helps you understand when to stay home and treat injuries on your own and when to come to one of Premium Urgent Care’s Fresno practices.
Burns: Understanding the Severity
Time spent in the summer sun without adequate protection led to a sunburn. You’re camping and accidentally touch a hot ember. You’re lighting your gas grill, and when it ignited, the flames traveled too high. Or, you were setting off firecrackers and burned your fingers.
Summer is high time for burn injuries. Whether you seek medical care or not depends on the severity. Medical professionals have several classifications for burns. They’re based on how deep they are. Remember that the layers of skin are:
- Epidermis: Top layer with pores
- Dermis: Next level down with blood vessels, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands.
- Hypodermis: Fat tissue above the muscle
First-Degree Burns
First-degree burns only occur on the epidermis. They’re superficial, and the burn looks red and dry. It doesn’t blister. You often get a first-degree burn from quickly touching a hot pan in the oven. Many sunburns fall into this category.
Medical care is unnecessary for first-degree burns. Damp compresses and aloe vera gel help with the pain. It takes about a week for the healing process to complete.
Second-Degree Burns
When the burn extends into the dermis, it’s a second-degree burn. The pain is much worse, and there may be swelling. Blisters are likely. Second-degree burns are likely with direct contact with hot embers or severe sunburns.
If the burn is larger than three inches in diameter, seek medical care. You should also see a doctor if the burn is in a delicate area that moves a lot, such as the buttocks, face, feet, groin, hands, or joints.
Smaller second-degree burns can be treated at home. Apply a burn cream and wrap it in gauze. Do not pop the blisters, as this makes it easier for bacteria to enter the burn.
Third-Degree Burns
When burns reach the fat tissue, they’re third-degree burns. The top two layers of skin are destroyed. The burn may look charred, leathery, or white.
Cover the burn with a sterile cloth or gauze and go straight to the hospital. It’s not a burn that can be treated at home.
Fourth-Degree Burns
Fourth-degree burns are the most severe and require medical care. The burn is so severe that it may reach the bones, muscle tissue, and tendons. The burn has destroyed nerves, so pain isn’t a problem. It may look blackened or even yellowish.
Make sure you cover the burn with sterile gauze or cloth, and call 911 or go straight to the hospital’s emergency department.
Fifth- and Sixth-Degree Burns
These extreme burns are most common in incidents such as chemical or house/structure fires. The burns are so severe that there may be no skin left, and only bone is visible. Sixth-degree burns often lead to fatalities.
Because you’re unlikely to be conscious, others will call first responders for you. There’s no way you’d consider home care for these burns.
Cuts: Knowing When to Seek Care
You’re camping with friends and cut your palm while cleaning the trout you caught. Your teen cuts his hand while cleaning up broken glass on the patio. You were slicing vegetables to grill and sliced into your thumb.
Blood vessels are located throughout your hand, which can make a small cut look serious. The volume of blood is alarming. Before you panic, wash the cut with soap and water, then apply pressure for up to 10 minutes. If bleeding stops, apply an antibiotic ointment and bandage.
If the bleeding hasn’t stopped, a trip to urgent care is necessary. You should also go to urgent care if:
- The cut is on a joint that is always moving, pulling the cut back open.
- The cut occurred on a dirty item, such as a rusty nail or a pipe sticking out of the ground.
- You can’t bring the edges of skin back together.
- You can’t thoroughly clean out dirt, sand, or wood particles.
- You see fat tissue, muscle, or bone.
If you clean and dress the cut at home, watch for signs of infection for the next 48 hours. Increasing redness, throbbing pain, warmth, and yellow pus are all reasons to seek urgent care.
Scrapes: When Is Medical Care Necessary?
Abrasions, commonly referred to as scrapes, are superficial wounds where you’ve rubbed the skin against a hard, rough surface, such as asphalt, concrete, or rough-cut lumber. You get them tripping and falling on uneven ground, falling off a bike, scooter, or skateboard, or slipping down branch-covered or rocky terrain.
Most scrapes are easily cared for at home. They’re not deep enough to be stitched. Clean them with soap and water or a saline wound cleaner, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover the area with non-stick pads or bandages. Monitor the healing scrape for signs of infection, such as increasing redness, swelling, or pus.
There are times when you should seek medical attention. If any of the following apply, have a doctor clean and dress the abrasion.
Embedded Debris
If the scrape has embedded debris such as pebbles, sand, or splinters, it must be removed from the wound before the skin heals over it. If you’re unable to remove the debris with gentle washing, go to urgent care.
Doctors can numb the area and use medical tools to remove the debris before dressing the wound. This helps reduce the risk of infection and prevents items from being sealed in the skin layers.
High-Risk Patients
If you have a medical condition that affects your ability to heal, it’s best to see a doctor for wound care. Conditions such as a compromised immune system, diabetes, or poor circulation increase your risk of cellulitis, a painful skin infection.
Do You Need a Tetanus Booster?
For any cut, scrape, or puncture wound, check your immunization history. As Fresno is a highly agricultural region, manure and agricultural dust are abundant. A bacterium called Clostridium tetani causes tetanus. It’s found in dirt, dust, manure, and soil.
If your wound is clean and minor, you only need a tetanus booster if your last shot was over 10 years ago. If the wound is deep, dirty, or caused by a rusty or outdoor object, get a tetanus booster if your last shot was over 5 years ago.
Premium Urgent Care’s doctors can easily administer a Tdap booster on the spot, whether or not you need help with a burn, cut, or scrape. We offer weekend and evening hours, so you’re not stuck waiting for days.
The faster you act, the better the chances of avoiding scarring and infection. One walk-in visit keeps your summer on track for being filled with fun adventures rather than sitting at home.