Ouch! Hot Oil Burns!

I know I said I was back, and I do have a couple of blog posts that need a little fine-tuning, and should be out this week. BUT, I am interrupting regular programming with this post, because it is a game changer for many, many things. 

Yesterday, while at the shoot for a brand we are currently endorsing, I got up to help BM A cook something on the stove. While she handed me the tongs, and I proceeded to get whatever was cooking  from the pan, the tongs sprung open and scooped hot, burning oil - splashing me (and a little on BM A) in the process. So yes, I burned my arms, and a bit of my chest. When I say a bit, I mean not-my-whole-body-kinda-bit, but yes, it is bad.

This was taken approximately an hour and a half after the accident.

So when it first happened, my first instinct was to head on over to the sink and wash off the oil. I literally scooped water and wet my neck, blouse et al. I was washing out the oil from my arms when the helper at the studio told me not to wet myself as it would cause the burnt parts to bubble. But I remember reading somewhere that you should wash out the hot oil to stop it from cooking more into your skin.

I was right. But I stopped washing after a few minutes because I was scared she was right.

I normally bring a tube of Neosporin in my bag, since the kids are always with me, and I want first aid handy (Long story, but one time we were at an amusement park, and A fell and scraped her knee. The emergency people at the park had no antibiotic ointment, just some wash that ate up her flesh. What was once a scratch led to an infected wound that had us at the hospital after two weeks). So yeah, Neosporin. But A had gone to Boracay a few weeks ago, and I took it out of my bag to put in her toiletry pouch. So no first aid ointment. :( I did have a tube of Hydro-cortisone for my eczema, and read upon checking first aid burn sites that it was an alternative, I smothered myself with it to keep my skin hydrated and cool. I opted to rush home (about an hour away, thank goodness, no traffic on a Sunday in spite the UPCAT) and applied burn ointment immediately - only an hour or so too late.

So in case this happens to you, here's first-aid treatment for hot oil burns:

1) Rinse out the oil. Get your skin under flowing cool water. This will stop the hot oil from causing further damage. Sites recommend a good 15-30 minute soak, depends on how hot that oil was. Remove clothing, jewelry and other accessories. Do not use ice directly on your burn. You can, however, ice the water a bit to get temperature of the water down, if you are opting to soak your burn in a cold bath.

2) Assess your injury. Check and see if you suffered a minor burn or a serious burn. My burns from yesterday's accident range from first-degree to second-degree burns. Thankfully, on the arms, back of hands and lower neck only, and not on the face nor the eyes. Second-degree burns are the ones that cause the burnt part to swell and bubble, destroying just the first layer and sometimes, exposing the second layer of your dermis.

3) Apply antibacterial cream or ointment on your burns. If your burns are first-degree burns (red, but without blisters), you just have to wait and let your burns heal. I prefer however to err on the side of caution and apply that antibacterial cream anyway. No need to worry about it scarring or getting an infection. I got a tube of Flamazine cream or Silver Sulfadiazine and lathered a thick paste on my burns. Yes, Yaya, forget the toothpaste! Also, I learned from friends that aloe vera gel is ideal in keeping your burns cool. Must buy a plant.

4) Keep burns moist. This one I learned from reading a ton of material online last night. The key to nice healing of burns is to keep it from drying out. I bet you didn't know that, eh? A friend of mine suggested wrapping with cling wrap to keep your antibacterial cream from getting wiped off or drying up, and to protect your wounds from getting scraped. Picture my arms wrapped in cling wrap. Thank you, GladKitchen! LOL!

5) Take that bath. I know that the old folks usually say you shouldn't wet your wounds. But take that bath. Don't scrub your wounds. Best to keep them clean to prevent infection.

6) See a doctor. When you think it's bad, it must be bad. So go see a doctor. And forget about home remedies that could do you more harm. Thankful my neighbor's a doctor, so I'm having him check my wounds tonight.

So yes, see how it is a game changer for my daily list of things-to-do? Although my burns no longer hurt, I cannot imagine being the demo person for the next few workshops. LOL! Already, I am commissioning BM M to do the demo, while I stand on the sideline as workshop commentator. I don't want to ruin the photos with my blistered, ugly hands! Also, I already told BM A that I will be in charge of the bentos for the next shoot and that there is absolutely no way she can get me near that stove. I've never really been afraid of getting a few splashes of oil from cooking. But yesterday? Yesterday was nothing short of traumatic. Here's hoping my wounds heal in a few weeks, and that I'll be good as new when my brother's wedding comes along.

Take care, people.