Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.
Chemical Burn Treatment
Call 911
1. Protect Yourself
Put on gloves or apron, if possible.
Avoid exposing yourself to chemicals.
2. Rinse and Clear Burn Area
Flood area with cool water for at least 20 minutes or until help arrives.
Make sure water doesn't flow onto another part of the person's body or onto you.
Don't use a strong stream of water, if possible.
As you flush burn (not before), remove jewelry or articles of clothing with chemical on them, unless they're stuck to the person's body.
After flushing the burn, follow instructions on the label of the chemical product, if available.
Don't try to neutralize the burn with acid or alkali. This could cause a chemical reaction that would worsen the burn.
Don't put antibiotic ointment on the burn.
3. Cover a Small Burn Area
You can wrap a small burn with dry, sterile gauze or clean cloth.
WebMD Medical Reference
SOURCES:
Fermie, P. The Illustrated Practical Book of First Aid & Family Health, Lorenz Books, 2005.
FamilyDoctor.org: "First Aid: Burns."
KidsHealth: "Burns."
Subbarao, I. AMA Handbook of First Aid and Emergency Care, Random House Reference, 2009.