Burns are a type of traumatic injury caused by thermal, electrical, chemical, or radioactive agents.
Most burn accidents occur at home, followed by burn accidents occurring at work. More than two million burn injuries occur each year in the US, resulting in 100,000 to 300,00 hospitalizations. Flame is the leading cause of burn injury for adults, while scalding is the leading cause of burn injury for children. Both infants and the elderly are at the greatest risk for burn injury. A burn injury usually results from an energy transfer from a heat source to the body.