Types of Burn Injuries

Not all burn injuries are equal. Some are more severe than others, and they all have very different causes. Burn injuries have different categories of severity, but they also have different types. These types can help explain what the cause of the burn injury was and if negligence was involved.

If you suffer a severe burn injury, you should know what type of burn it was. Knowing this can help determine treatment and what to do moving forward. Here are six common types of burn injuries and what causes them to occur.

Thermal Burns

Thermal burns are some of the most common because they occur when skin encounters very hot objects. For instance, touching scalding hot water or a pan on the stove can cause a thermal burn. This type of burn happens when the skin’s temperature increases to the point of cells dying.

Chemical Burns

These types of burns are common in many workplaces because of the many chemicals used around the environment. Acids, detergents, and other chemicals can cause significant burns on the skin, or even deeper into the bones or muscles.

Friction Burns

Friction burns are different because they occur when a person’s skin rubs on another material quickly. These types of burns are a mix of heat burns and scrapes on the skin. Road rash is a type of friction burn. Similarly, carpet burn can cause a friction burn.

Cold Burns

Frostbite is the most common type of cold burn. These burns are typically those that result from a person’s skin encountering frozen temperatures such as dry ice.

Radiation Burns

Radiation burns are common because they can occur in multiple ways, including during medical procedures or by simply staying outside too long. Sunburns are radiation burns. However, this type of burn can also occur due to prolonged radiation.

Electrical Burns

If you’ve ever encountered a shock from electrical current, you can attest to the pain that occurs. Some of these electrical shocks can be significantly damaging. Electrical burns can often impact internal organs as much as it can burn skin.