Chemical substances, such as strong acids and bases, can cause more complex and severe burns on the skin than simple burns such as flames and hot water. In daily life, due to various reasons, it is very dangerous to mix food with improper storage, out of curiosity or intentional consumption. Below are the methods for first aid.
1、 Strong acid burn
Common strong acids: sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, aqua regia, and carbonic acid, can cause burns of varying severity due to their concentration, solution amount, and skin contact area. In recent years, incidents of severe acid induced malignant disfigurement have occurred frequently.
◆ First aid principles:
(1) Immediately rinse the strong acid on the skin repeatedly with a large amount of warm water or clean water. The earlier, the cleaner, and the more thorough the rinse, the better. Even a small residue can make the burn more severe. Don’t worry about worsening the pain when the patient is rinsing. Encourage the patient to endure rinsing until it is clean.
Attention: Do not rush the patient to the hospital without rinsing.
(2) After rinsing with water, gently cover the wound with clean gauze and send it to the hospital for treatment.
2、 Strong alkaline burn
Common strong alkalis: sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), lime, etc.
Strong alkali has a greater damaging effect on the skin tissue of the human body than strong acid, as strong alkali can penetrate deep into the tissue, causing tissue proteins to dissolve.
◆ First aid principles:
(1) Immediately rinse repeatedly with plenty of water for at least 20 minutes; Alkaline chemical burns can also be cleaned with vinegar to neutralize the alkaline solution on the skin.
(2) For quicklime burns, first wipe off the quicklime particles on the skin with a handkerchief or towel, and then rinse with plenty of water. Do not wash with water first, as quicklime will react chemically with water, producing a large amount of heat and burning the skin.
◆ Key points for emergency treatment of skin chemical burns
① Immediately rinse repeatedly with plenty of water.
② Avoid rushing to the hospital without proper handling