A severe burn can mean not only severe pain. If the skin has been damaged, a person may have an open wound that could lead to other types of complications such as an infection. There could be scarring, disfigurement, and even with healing, there may be a permanent mark on the body where the burn occurred. That can have psychological implications in terms of self-esteem if it is on prominent areas of the body such as the head, face, hands, and forearms.