When dealing with burn injuries, the worst category is third-degree. These burns have the highest risk of complication and cause the most damage.
Knowing how to identify third-degree burns is potentially important when it comes to getting proper treatment.
How third-degree burns look and feel
Healthline takes a look at the most severe burn injuries. Third-degree burns also get called full-thickness burns due to the potential involvement of all layers of the skin.
In particularly bad burns, the injury may even extend into or through the muscle. Some cases involve a person’s bone getting burned, as well.
Unlike first and second-degree burns, third-degree burns sometimes damage the nerves so badly that a person cannot feel the injury. Numbness is just as much a sign of a problem as pain in these situations.
The burns typically look ashy, black or white rather than red. The skin may seem dry or cracking, and blisters might be present but they could burst quickly.
The potential complications
Due to the amount of exposed skin that such a burn injury causes, the victims have a high rate of potential infection. This can include severe infections like gangrene or sepsis.
On top of that, the risk of scarring is also high. This can have a traumatic psychological impact on the victims, especially if their scarring is on particularly noticeable places like the face.
Due to the many complications and problems that third-degree burns can cause, it is important for victims to seek immediate and accurate medical care.