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Types of Chemical Burns

Chemical burns can be both dangerous and painful. If you receive a chemical burn, the usual prescribed treatment is to flush the area and remove the burning agent as soon as possible. However, some chemicals react with water in a way that makes them more damaging and makes a burn much worse.

  1. External Burns

    • Most chemical burns of the skin can be washed off with water to stop the burn. Dangerous chemicals might have to be flushed for up to 20 minutes. Chemicals such as carbolic acid need to be flushed with rubbing alcohol first, then washed with water. Lyme should be brushed off before being flushed, because water would activate a more serious burn.

    Internal Burns

    • Some chemical burns occur when a chemical is drunk or inhaled. Ammonia gives off a gas that can cause burns inside the body if enough is inhaled. Drain cleaners and other cleaning chemicals burn the esophagus and stomach if swallowed.

    Burns from Acids

    • Several acids can cause a chemical burn, and most are in products we use every day. Sulphuric acid is used in toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners and car battery fluid. These products can contain 8 percent to 100 percent sulphuric acid. Hydrochloric acid is also found in drain cleaners as well as in pool cleaner products, and it causes serious burns.

    Burns from Base Compounds

    • Phosphates in several household cleaning products can burn the skin and the inside of body if swallowed. Sodium and calcium hypochlorite are found in bleach and pool chlorine solutions. Potassium hydroxide can cause a nasty burn, depending on the concentration; it is found in oven cleaner and denture cleaners.

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