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Burn On Leg, Peeling, Changing Colour. How Long It Will Take To Heal?
Posted on
Wed, 3 Apr 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 3 Apr 2013
Answered on
Tue, 23 Apr 2013
Last reviewed on
Question : I was burned two weeks ago on the back of my upper leg and it peeled once and is now purple. Is that bad and how long will it take to heal? It doesn't hurt at all.
Hello and welcome to XXXXXXX
Thank you for writing to us.
Well, first of all, all burns have to be classified. They are:
-First-degree burns: Mild. Limited to top layer of skin.
Signs: Redness, minor pain and swelling. No blisters, dry skin.
Healing:Skin peeling occurs in 2-3 days, and complete healing takes 4-7 days.
-Second-degree burns: Moderate severity. Involve layers below the topmost layer.
Signs: Blisters, severe pain, redness. Blisters may break and reveal a bright pink or cherry red color.
Healing: Depends on other factors like infection. But generally, a non-complicated case takes about 3-4 weeks to completely heal
-Third-degree burns: (Well if you had a third-degree burn you shouldn't be typing your query out, but instead rushing to the hospital. But I am sure your burn is minor. Just for information sake, let me provide this information to you as well)
Most severe, involves skin and all underlying tissue
Signs: Charred, brown, leathery or white waxy appearance. Little or no pain as the area would feel numb due to nerve damage
Healing: Depends on severity. Needs to be treated with skin grafts, fluid replacement, antibiotic coverage, etc.
I hope you found my response helpful and informative. Do write back to me for any further clarifications. I would be happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Thank you for writing to us.
Well, first of all, all burns have to be classified. They are:
-First-degree burns: Mild. Limited to top layer of skin.
Signs: Redness, minor pain and swelling. No blisters, dry skin.
Healing:Skin peeling occurs in 2-3 days, and complete healing takes 4-7 days.
-Second-degree burns: Moderate severity. Involve layers below the topmost layer.
Signs: Blisters, severe pain, redness. Blisters may break and reveal a bright pink or cherry red color.
Healing: Depends on other factors like infection. But generally, a non-complicated case takes about 3-4 weeks to completely heal
-Third-degree burns: (Well if you had a third-degree burn you shouldn't be typing your query out, but instead rushing to the hospital. But I am sure your burn is minor. Just for information sake, let me provide this information to you as well)
Most severe, involves skin and all underlying tissue
Signs: Charred, brown, leathery or white waxy appearance. Little or no pain as the area would feel numb due to nerve damage
Healing: Depends on severity. Needs to be treated with skin grafts, fluid replacement, antibiotic coverage, etc.
I hope you found my response helpful and informative. Do write back to me for any further clarifications. I would be happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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