Patient education: Chemical skin burn (The Basics)

What is a chemical skin burn? — 

This is when a harmful chemical gets on the skin and burns it. Different types of chemicals can do this. Chemicals can be a liquid, powder, spray, or solid. Examples include chemicals found in cleaning products, automotive products, solvents, deployed air bags, and wet cement.

Some chemicals cause only mild or short-term symptoms. Other chemicals can cause severe damage, including blisters and scarring. How mild or serious an injury is depends on:

●The type of chemical

●How long the chemical is on the skin

●How far into the skin the chemical spreads

What are the symptoms of a chemical skin burn? — 

In many cases, symptoms start right away after the skin is exposed to the chemical. But in some cases, symptoms happen within a few hours after the skin is exposed. Symptoms can include:

●Redness or irritation

●Pain

●Blisters or scabs

●Discolored skin

Some chemicals can also give off fumes. These might be inhaled and cause eye, nose, and throat irritation or problems with breathing. Symptoms of breathing problems can include:

●Trouble breathing

●Cough

●Wheezing or high-pitched, noisy breathing (called "stridor")

●Hoarseness

●Drooling

Some chemicals can get absorbed through the skin and cause problems with the heart, brain, lungs, or liver. These problems include:

●Abnormal heart rhythms, leading to passing out or cardiac arrest

●Agitation

●Seizures

●Coma

●Abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting

What should I do if I get chemicals on my skin? — 

Brush off any dry chemicals, like powder. Take off clothing or jewelry that might have touched the chemical. Then, use cool water from a faucet, shower, or hose to rinse your skin for 15 to 30 minutes. Do not rub or scratch your skin. Then, either speak to a doctor or nurse right away, or call a regional poison center (1-800-222-1222 in the US).

Be careful to protect other skin or anyone helping you from being exposed to the chemical.

How is a chemical skin burn treated? — 

The doctor or nurse will continue to wash the chemical off of your skin.

Other treatments might include:

●Pain medicine

●Fluids given through a thin tube, called an "IV"

●Specialized cream, ointment, or dressings

Depending on your injury, you might also need to see a skin specialist (dermatologist) or surgeon.

What can I do on my own? — 

You should:

●Take care of your burn – Follow all instructions about when and how to change your bandages. You might have a cream, ointment, or a special type of bandage on your burn.

•Keep your burn dry and covered with a bandage for the first 1 to 2 days. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep your burn dry.

•Once you no longer need to keep your burn dry, gently wash it with soap and water whenever you take a shower. Do not put it underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake. This can slow healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.

•After you wash your burn, pat it dry. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to put a cream or ointment on it. They will also tell you if you need to cover it with a special bandage or gauze.

•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your burn or bandage.

●Do not pop blisters or break them open.

●Follow the doctor's instructions about using creams or ointments – Use only the ones the doctor recommended. Do not use over-the-counter creams or lotions on the area unless your doctor says that it is OK.

●Do not pick at or scratch your burn. Your skin might be itchy as it heals. Your doctor can give you medicines to help with this.

●Avoid being in the sun for long periods of time. You might need to put on extra sunscreen for up to a year after your burn heals.

How can I help prevent getting a chemical skin burn? — 

Wear safety gear like protective clothes, gloves, and safety glasses or goggles when working with chemicals. Always wash your hands after using chemicals. Keep cleaning supplies and other chemicals away from children and pets.

When should I call the doctor? — 

Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:

●You are having so much trouble breathing that you can only say 1 or 2 words at a time.

●You need to sit upright at all times to be able to breathe, or you cannot lie down.

●Your heartbeat is very fast.

●You feel confused, lightheaded, or dizzy, or you pass out.

●Your skin feels cool or clammy.

●A doctor, nurse, or regional poison center tells you to.

Call for advice if:

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●The redness around your burn starts to spread over other parts of your body, and most of your skin becomes red.

●You have signs of infection like swelling, redness, warmth, pain, or fluid coming from your burn.

●Your burn is not significantly better or healing within 48 hours.

●You develop any sores around your burn or on other parts of your body that worry you.

●You have trouble breathing when talking or sitting still.

More on this topic

Patient education: Skin burns (The Basics)
Patient education: Chemical eye injury (The Basics)
Patient education: Chemical ingestion in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use topical medicines (The Basics)
Patient education: How to change a dressing (The Basics)