Do's and don'ts for minor burns

Remember these tips:

� Do cool the burn

Hold the burned area under cold running water for about 15 to 20 minutes. If impractical, immerse the burn in cold water or cover it with cold compresses.

� Don't put ice directly on the burn

Putting ice directly on a burn can cause frostbite and further damage your skin.

� Do consider a lotion and pain relievers

Once a burn is completely cooled, apply a lotion or moisturizer to soothe the area and prevent dryness. For sunburn, try 1 per-cent hydrocortisone cream or an anesthetic cream. An over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen (Aleve, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may help.

� Don't use butter

Putting butter on burned skin holds heat in the tissue and may cause more damage. Applying butter increases your chance of infection.

� Do bandage a burn

Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Wrap loosely to avoid putting too much pressure on the burn. Bandaging keeps air off the burn and reduces pain.

� Don't break blisters

However, if the area is tender, snip a tiny hole in the blister with a small scissors that has been sterilized in alcohol. If the blister is broken, wash the area with mild antibacterial soap and water, then apply an antibiotic ointment and a gauze bandage.