What are burns?

Also known as: first-degree burns, second-degree burns, third-degree burns

Burns are tissue damage to the body that occurs after exposure to extreme heat, though they can be caused by other sources (electricity and chemicals) as well. Burns are classified by position,  size, and by depth/severity or “degree”. First-degree burns damage only the outer layer of skin, while third-degree burns cause massive skin and tissue damage.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM