Burn injuries can affect a victim to different degrees of severity depending on several factors. This includes the victim’s health, the degree of the heat source, and how long the victim suffers from exposure to it.
While first-degree burns cause the fewest problems in the short and long term, third-degree burns can easily threaten a victim’s life.
Defining a third-degree burn
Temple Health discusses the impact of burn severity on victims. Third-degree burns have the highest degree of impact, with such a burn typically involving all layers of the flesh. No matter how small a third degree burn is in terms of how much skin it takes up, it is always considered a severe injury.
Third-degree burns will often look white or charred compared to first- and second-degree burns, which look red and blistered, respectively. These burns can easily threaten the life of the victim both in terms of the amount of tissue damaged, as well as the possibility of sending the victim into severe shock.
Notable effects of severe burns
Victims may also not feel pain in the affected area. This is due to the destruction of the nerves there, which often results in a partial or complete loss of sensation. This damage is often permanent.
These burns also typically cause noticeable scarring. Some victims have to go through reconstructive surgery in order to preserve their lives. Others may also opt for cosmetic surgery in the aftermath to help return their appearance to the way it was before the accident. Unfortunately, many insurance companies will not cover this type of surgery despite the mental impact such injuries can have.
