natural home remedies for minor burns {aka I fought the grease, and the grease won}

Welcome to this addition of Learn from My Mistakes!

The next day.
Feeling a lot better, looking a little gross.

Frying up some potatoes in bacon fat Wednesday night, I had a moment of distraction where I dropped some potatoes into the pan instead of sliding them in. Yowch! My forearm got a good 2" splatter. I ran it under cold water, and iced it consistently for about 3 hours, but was still in pain the moment I removed the ice. 

So, I took advantage of my crunchy friends on facebook and asked for suggestions. Here are my favorites, what I tried, and what worked:

Natural, At Home Burn Remedies *

1. Aloe: The most suggested, the first most people think of, and unfortunately also one I didn't have in the house at the moment! From previous experience I do know aloe to be soothing, but I also know that if you have anything more then very minor burns it won't stop the burning on its own.

2. Lavender oil: I have this and I tried it. It doesn't help the burning, but will supposedly help it heal faster. I'll have to wait and see on this one.

3. Cool water bath/compress: Burns can keep "cooking" for hours, so keeping it cool will offer tons of relief and minimize the damage.

4. Ching Wan Hung ointment: Haven't tried it yet, but a friend swears by it so I ordered some for the hopefully non-existent next time!

5. Raw Onion: We only had frozen chopped onions in the house last night, but apparently a slice of raw onion will help take the sting from a minor burn.

6. Honey: A natural antiseptic, putting some honey on a gauze pad and applying to the burn can help speed healing. A little messy though!

7. Baking Soda Paste: Mix baking soda with a little bit of water, apply to burn, and let it dry. This one worked like a charm! Blowing on the wet paste felt amazingly cool and soothing, and by the time it dried the burning was almost gone. I did one more application, then loosely wrapped it in gauze before heading to bed. It kept me comfortable all night.

(My favorite suggestion of the night) 8. Wine: To be taken orally.  ;-)  Doesn't do anything for the burn itself, but it makes the burnee feel better. LOL.



* Please note: I am not a doctor. Please be careful before using any home remedies and always check with a doctor if you are unsure of the severity of your burn. This remedies are intended for mild burns only.