Submitted by postmanmalone123 t3_yhdmun in explainlikeimfive
Comments
BlackWicking t1_iud7und wrote
Cold water does not help, warm or room temperature water helps more. When you pour cold water the body gets the signal: COLD, avoid area, protect the organs. It pulls blood away and delays the repair response. Even if you are in pain initially(2-3 seconds), use warm water it also helps with not leaving scar tissue
Ok_Pizza4090 t1_iudtzgx wrote
Not exactly 'help a burn heal'. Cold water, immediately applied will stop the burning process in its tracks. Right after a burn occurs, the flesh is still hot and damages the surrounding area, making the burn worse. Cold water stops this and in addition, temporarily relieves the pain. First aid = cold, clean water. not ice cold, not a forceful stream. Never ice, never butter, yes clean,dry bandage, yes get medical help quickly, if anything other than a very small burn not on a sensitive area, that is just a mild reddening of the skin.
HintOfMalice t1_iue0766 wrote
Healing time is affected. Healing time is increased as that annoying inflammation that you reduced is an essential stage of the Healing process.
HintOfMalice t1_iue0iz4 wrote
It doesn't. It can reduce pain and local inflammation but your wound won't actually heal any faster. In fact, it'll make it take longer to heal as that inflammation is caused by an influx of cells that will do many beneficial and productive things such as killing any bacteria that may have entered the wound, digesting dead cells and making new blood vessels to restore nutrients to the area.
kanakamaoli t1_iugcwia wrote
Water cools the skin down and reduces the temperature of the burned area. Cold or hot water can cause further damage to the injured skin. Room temperature water is best since it will reduce risk of heat damage or frostbite.
frakc t1_iud6avr wrote
It does not help to heal, it just stops further damage.
After burn there still a lot of heat which continues to damage tissues. thus you need to remove remaining extra heat.
Note: one should use room water around 20C. Using cold water especially from freaser will make more damage