About two million people in the U.S. each year are burned or scalded badly enough to need medical attention. Most of those who require medical attention are children or older people. Many of these burns occur in the home, and many could be prevented. First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of the skin, so they heal quickly. The skin may peel but does not break.
Sunburn is usually a first-degree burn.
Second-degree burns go deeper into the skin, resulting in blistering. Third-degree burns destroy all the layers of the skin. Third-degree burns can be very serious. Burns from electricity are a little different. They can cause damage to tissues deep under the skin, including the heart, with very little skin damage.