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What to do if…
you have a serious burn with blistered, white, or charred skin

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Cool the burn under cool running water for at least 20 minutes and get urgent hospital help now. Call 999 or go to A&E; do not drive yourself.

Do not do these things

  • Do not use ice or iced water.
  • Do not apply creams, oils, butter, toothpaste, antiseptic or sprays.
  • Do not remove clothing or material stuck to the burned skin.
  • Do not burst blisters, peel skin or scrub the burn.
  • Do not use plasters, cotton wool or sticky dressings.
  • Do not wrap cling film tightly around the burned area.
  • Do not put cling film over the face.
  • Do not cool the person’s whole body or allow them to become very cold.
  • Do not touch someone who is still in contact with an electrical source.

What to do now

  1. Move away from heat, flames, smoke, chemicals or electricity if this can be done without putting anyone in further danger.
  2. Call 999 or go to A&E now; do not drive yourself. Call 999 for an ambulance if there is serious breathing difficulty or smoke exposure, the person is very unwell, or safe transport to A&E is not available. Describe the cause, the affected body area and the appearance of the skin.
  3. Cool the burn under cool running water for at least 20 minutes. Have someone else arrange emergency help or transport while cooling continues where possible.
  4. Carefully remove rings, watches, jewellery and loose clothing near the burn before swelling increases. Leave anything stuck to the skin in place.
  5. Keep the rest of the person warm with a coat or blanket that does not touch or rub the burn.
  6. After cooling, loosely lay cling film over the burn without wrapping it around the body part. If cling film is unavailable, use a clean, dry, non-fluffy dressing or cloth without fastening it tightly.
  7. For a facial burn, do not cover the face with cling film. Continue cooling the affected area carefully and follow any instructions from the 999 call handler or healthcare professionals.
  8. Stay with the person and watch their breathing. If they become unresponsive or are not breathing normally, call 999 immediately if you have not already done so and follow the call handler’s instructions.

What can wait

You do not need to identify the degree of the burn, clean the wound, treat the blisters, choose a dressing or make decisions about scarring now. Emergency and burn-care staff can assess these after the immediate first aid.

Important reassurance

The most useful actions now are to cool the burn and get urgent hospital help. You do not need to work out how deep the burn is before calling 999 or going to A&E.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps only. Wound treatment, pain relief, dressings and later care decisions may require emergency clinicians or a specialist burns service.

Important note

This is general first-aid information and is not a substitute for medical assessment. Follow instructions from emergency services and healthcare professionals.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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