Version July 2025
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What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
You came to the ED for 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.
You might have redness, irritation, pain, blisters or scabs, or discolored skin where the chemical touched you.
The doctors think it is safe for you to recover at home. How long it will take for you to heal depends on what type of chemical caused the burn, how long it was on your skin, and how far it spread into your skin.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also do the following:
●Call your regular doctor and tell them you were in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment if you were told to.
●Take all your medicines as instructed. The doctor might have given you creams or ointments to put on the burn. Do not use over-the-counter creams or lotions on the burn unless the doctor told you to.
●Take care of your burn – Follow all instructions about when and how to change your bandages:
•Keep your burn dry and covered with a bandage for the first 1 to 2 days, or as instructed by the doctor.
•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. If the doctor told you to, put on any creams or ointments. Cover the burn with the type of bandage or gauze you were told to use.
•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your burn or bandage.
●Do not pop blisters or break them open.
●Do not pick at or scratch your burn. Your skin might be itchy as it heals. The 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.
●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 get emergency help?
●Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:
•You are having so much trouble breathing you can only say 1 or 2 words at a time.
•You need to sit upright 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.
●Return to the ED if:
•Redness spreads from the burn to cover a lot of your skin.
•You have signs of infection, like swelling, redness, warmth, pain, or fluid coming from the burn.
•You get sores around the wound.
•You have trouble breathing when talking or sitting still.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if:
●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.
●The area around your burn starts to itch a lot.
●You have new or worsening symptoms.
Patient education: Chemical skin burn (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use topical medicines (The Basics)
