Classification of burns by depth of injury

Depth	Appearance	Sensation	Healing time
Superficial (epidermal)	Dry, red Blanches with pressure	Painful	3 to 6 days
Superficial partial-thickness	Blisters Moist, red, weeping Blanches with pressure	Painful to temperature and air and touch	7 to 21 days
Deep partial-thickness	Blisters (easily unroofed) Wet or waxy dry Variable color (patchy to cheesy white to red) Blanching with pressure may be sluggish	Painful to pressure only	>21 days, usually requires surgical treatment
Full-thickness	Waxy white to leathery gray to charred and black Dry and inelastic No blanching with pressure	Deep pressure only	Rare, unless surgically treated
Deeper injury (ie, fourth degree)	Extends into fascia and/or muscle	Deep pressure	Never, unless surgically treated

Adapted from:

Mertens DM, Jenkins ME, Warden GD. Outpatient burn management. Nurs Clin North Am 1997; 32:343.
Peate WF. Outpatient management of burns. Am Fam Physician 1992; 45:1321.
Clayton MC, Solem LD. No ice, no butter. Advice on management of burns for primary care physicians. Postgrad Med 1995; 97:151.

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