About your visit
You have a burn injury and we have bandaged it. Keep the bandage on and do not touch it.
When you get home
We will call you after 1-2 weekdays
After 1-2 weekdays we will call you to arrange a time for you to meet at Ortopædkirurgisk Ambulatorium (Department of Orthopaedic surgery) to get the bandage removed.
Leave the bandage on
Do not attempt to remove or change the bandage yourself. If you remove the bandage, your burn will not heal properly.
As the burn wounds heal and new skin forms, the bandage will loosen without damaging the wounds. This will take 10-16 days.
Keep an eye on your bandage
Keep the bandage dry and do not move it as this will increase the risk of infection and delay healing.
Contact your general practitioner or the Emergency department outside your general practitioner’s opening hours if:
- the bandage becomes loose or moves so that the bandage doesn't cover the entire burn
- the bandage feels uncomfortable or tight over joints
- liquid from the wounds seeps through the bandage or the bandage gets wet
- the bandage begins to smell
- you develop a fever.
Take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain
You should take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain. Pain-relieving medicine can be bought over the counter. Take only the amount of pain reliever recommended on the package. Contact your general practitioner if you need help managing the pain.
Reduce swelling
It is normal for skin on or around the burn to swell. Depending on where on the body you were burned, you can reduce swelling by elevating the area:
- Face burns: Raise the head of the bed at night or sleep with an extra pillow under your head.
- Burns on the forearm: Elevate the forearm above the level of the heart several times a day.
- Burns on the lower legs and feet: Keep the leg still and rest it on a chair when sitting down.
Avoid nicotine
We recommend that you abstain from nicotine until the burn has healed. Nicotine is found in cigarettes, nicotine gum and nicotine patches. It impairs the healing of wounds.
Avoid direct sunlight
Avoid direct sunlight on scars as long they are red. Scars can stay red for 1-2 years. During this period, the skin is especially at risk of sunburn and can darken. The dark colour will not disappear. We recommend using a sunscreen with a high SPF or wearing clothes that cover the scars.
Worth knowing