Chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness on one side, a fit or heavy bleeding needs help now, not an appointment.

112Any emergency108Ambulance102Pregnancy and newborn
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Wounds, bleeding and burns

Burns and scalds

Also called burn, scald, jal gaya, hot water burn, fire burn

What you are dealing with

Cool running water in the first twenty minutes decides how badly a burn scars. It is the single most useful thing a bystander can do.

Do this, in this order

  1. Move the person away from the heat source and stop the burning.
  2. Hold the burn under cool running water for twenty full minutes. Cool water, not ice cold.
  3. While cooling, gently remove rings, bangles, watches and any clothing near the burn that is not stuck to it.
  4. After cooling, cover loosely with cling film laid over the burn, or a clean non fluffy cloth.
  5. Keep the rest of the person warm, because twenty minutes of cooling can chill a child quickly.
  6. Give paracetamol only if that person already takes it safely, and go to hospital for anything more than a small burn.

Never do this

  • Never put ice, iced water, toothpaste, butter, ghee, oil, haldi, ink or a potato on a burn.
  • Do not burst blisters, and do not peel away clothing that is stuck to the skin.
  • Do not use cotton wool or any fluffy dressing, because the fibres stick.
  • Do not delay cooling in order to find a cream first. Water now beats cream later.

Call an ambulance if

  • A burn larger than the person's own palm, or any burn on the face, hands, feet, joints or genitals
  • A burn that looks white, brown, leathery or is painless, which means it is deep
  • Any burn in a baby, a small child, an elderly person or a pregnant woman
  • Electrical burns, chemical burns, or a burn with smoke inhalation, coughing or a hoarse voice
Call 112 nowCall 108 ambulance

After the emergency

Get it looked at properly

First aid buys time, it does not finish the job. Most of these situations need a doctor to check what happened, prevent infection, and decide whether anything more is needed.

Consult a doctorCheck a symptom instead

Get care for this

Doctors and care for burns and scalds

Verified Teleprac doctors you can see online or in a clinic, lab tests with home sample collection, and genuine medicines delivered to your door.

See all first aid topics

Important. This page is general first aid education and cannot replace a hands on first aid course or professional emergency care. Techniques taught by the Indian Red Cross, St John Ambulance and similar bodies are worth a single day of your life. In an emergency, call 112 or 108 first and follow what the operator tells you, because they can see your location and know what is on the way.

Call 112 Ambulance 108

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Emergency numbers in India

Save these in your phone now, not when you need them. Tap any number to call it.

112Any emergencyOne number for police, fire and ambulance across India108AmbulanceFree emergency ambulance in most states and union territories102Pregnancy and newbornAmbulance for mothers and babies in most states14416Mental health supportTele MANAS, free counselling every hour of the day, many languages1800 116 117Poisoning or overdoseNational Poisons Information Centre, AIIMS New Delhi1098Child in distressChildline India, free and confidential

Where to read more

Public health sources written for patients rather than for doctors, and kept up to date.

Ministry of Health and Family WelfareOfficial Indian health programmes, advisories and public guidanceWorld Health Organization health topicsGlobal fact sheets written for the public, on hundreds of topicsNHS health A to ZPlain language pages on symptoms, conditions, tests and treatmentsMedlinePlusPatient information from the United States National Library of MedicineTele MANASIndia's national mental health support service, free and available all day

Important: Everything in Teleprac patient resources is general health education. It does not give you a diagnosis and it cannot replace examination by a qualified doctor, because it does not know your age, your reports, your pregnancy or the other medicines you take. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own. Teleprac Healthcare is not liable for decisions made on the basis of this information. In an emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital immediately.