Grandma's Remedies for Minor Burns

It is natural to get burn when you are cooking or working close to fire.  Lifting vessels, picking up spoon from the hot vessel or while preparing rotis etc once a while we burn our hands or fingers. During festival seasons while burning crackers one might get hurt. For immediate treatment for burns, keep some of the following materials in your kitchen / home and use them when you need it.

1. Vanilla extract: Using a cotton swam dab vanilla extract gently on burned skin. When the alcohol evaporates, vanilla extract will cool the burn and reduces pain.
2. Coconut oil: Is very rich source of vitamin E and has fatty acids that helps in reducing pain and heals the burn area. Apply coconut oil using a cotton swab on the burnt area twice a day. Remember do not massage burn area, just apply the oil on surface.
3. Honey: Honey is natural antibiotic and prevents burn from further chances of infection. Topical apply of honey helps in skin healing by cooling and relieving the burn pain. Put few drops of honey in gauze bandage and place it on the burn skin area. Let the honey touch slowly the wound. Do this twice a day.
4. Oats: Add a cup of oat to water and soak for 20 minutes. Apply this on affected area. Allow this to air dry. This reduces itching.
5. Milk cream: Apply cream from the surface of milk on affected area. It not only soothes the burns but helps in healing too. .
6. Vinegar: Soak paper towels in diluted white vinegar to create a soothing compress and place it on the burn. Alternatively, use cotton swabs to dab the burn with vinegar.
7. Black tea: Black tea has tannic acid which absorbs heat from burns and makes it less painful. Use gauze to hold the tea bags and place it on the area.
8. Aloe vera: Aloe is one plant everyone should have as it helps in many skin conditions. Cut a leaf of aloe and collect juice and apply on burn area. It reduces swelling, stimulates skin repair and helps in fast healing of the area.
9. Turmeric powder: Turmeric powder is another good herb helps in rejuvenation of skin. Add a few drops of honey to turmeric powder and apply on minor burns.
10. Lacto calamine lotion: Applying lacto calamine lotion helps in healing of skin! Lacto calamine lotion is in use from decades from our great grandparents. Use it for even sunburns and it removes any burn marks too!
11. Oils: a) Add few drops of lavender oil to  aloe juice (10 drops) or aloe gel (1/4 cup) and apply this to your burn. Apply often, hourly if needed to help reduce the pain and help it heal. b) Mix three drops of peppermint oil in a tablespoon (10ml) of Aloe Vera Gel and apply to the area of the burn.

• Do not apply ice cubes on burn area – it will aggravate the pain and boils.
• Cut down on sugar and salt – these two slow down the healing process
• Consume more zinc rich foods – consume more of pumpkin seeds and spinach types of foods that are rich in zinc.

Source: www.werindia.com

Image credit: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay (Free for commercial use)