Most common are burns caused by scalds, building fires, and flammable liquids and gases. Third-degree burns involve damage or complete destruction of the skin to its full depth and damage to underlying tissues. People who experience such burns often require skin grafting. The swelling and blistering characteristic of burns are caused by the loss of fluid from damaged blood vessels. In severe cases, such fluid loss can cause shock, requiring immediate transfusion of the patient with blood or a physiological salt solution to restore adequate fluid levels to maintain blood pressure.
Burns often lead to infection, due to damage to the skin's protective barrier.
The three topical antibiotics that are most widely used are silver sulfadiazene cream, mafenide acetate cream, and silver nitrate. Each year in the United States, 1.25 million burn injuries require medical attention. Approximately 50,000 of these require hospitalization, and roughly half of those burn patients are admitted to a specialized burn unit. Practices that have contributed to this improvement include advances in resuscitation, wound cleaning and follow-up care, nutritional support, and infection control. Grafting with natural or artificial materials can also speed the healing process.