I was reading about some burn victims from summer fires in Greece, and some succumbed to their burns more than 3 months after they were originally exposed to the flames. Shouldn’t they be in the clear at that point given burn wounds heal over time?
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A cut is layers, the body just has to heal layers where the cut is. A burn is surface area. This area demands moisture, carbs for healing and is extremely painful as the nerves try to reintegrate into the damaged tissue.
The severity of the burn can mean skin damage, such as a sun burn. Lower dermis damage, such as a hot stovetop or higher flame heat. Then there are burns from structure fires that can cause muscle and tissue damage.
People with extensive burns need to have the area cleaned, which is called debrying, basically the burn needs to have any charred skin or things such as clothing or plastic removed from the burn area. They cannot desensitize the area while doing this. This can send a person into shock and cause problems.
Lastly, the burn areas need to be covered, as these areas become moist with plasma that is attempting to cool the area and promote healing. This moisture also becomes a breading ground for bacteria. Infection is the thing that doctors strive to prevent.
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