How to Treat an Electric Barbecue Lighter Burn

Electric barbecue lighters make it easy to start up your grill. Lighter fluid isn't necessary to get the charcoal going when you have an electric barbecue lighter. These lighters are much safer than the old method of lighting a grill, but there are still dangers. If you find yourself with a burn caused by an electric barbecue lighter, it's important to treat it immediately.

Instructions

• 1

  Run the burn under cool water for 15 minutes. You can even soak the burned area in cold water if that's more comfortable. The goal is to cool the skin to help soothe the pain.

• 2

  Use a topical cream designed to prevent infection. Apply liberally and cover with a bandage. Reapply this cream as needed until your burn has healed.

• 3

  Control your pain with over the counter pain medications. You also should allow the burned area to rest to avoid pain caused by overuse.

• 4

  Visit your doctor if your burn doesn't improve or if you have any questions or concerns. If your burn isn't too severe, a trip to the emergency room isn't necessary. Your family physician should be able to provide treatment.

• 5

  Seek immediate medical attention if you have a serious burn. You can usually tell by looking at the burn if it's serious because you can see there's significant skin damage. It's possible that these burns don't hurt because the burn could have deadened all of the nerve endings.

• 6

  Watch for an infection. If your burn has a distinct smell, oozes pus or if you can see red streaks radiating from the burn site, you could have an infection. See your doctor immediately for treatment.