A burn can happen within seconds.
Hot water, soup, cooking oil, steam, fire, electricity and chemicals can all cause burns. In a busy Ghanaian household, a pot of boiling water, hot cooking oil or an open flame can turn an ordinary moment into an emergency.
What you do during the first few minutes matters.
Ghana's Ministry of Health treatment guidelines recommend putting the affected area under running water when available, leaving intact blisters alone and avoiding creams or ointments on the burn.
The World Health Organization also recommends stopping the burning process and cooling the affected area with cool running water. It specifically advises against applying substances such as oil, paste or ice to the burn.
This guide explains what to do immediately after a burn, what not to put on it, and when the injury requires medical attention.
First, make sure you are safe
Before helping someone who has been burned, make sure the source of the burn is no longer a danger.
For example:
- Move away from an open fire if it is safe to do so.
- Switch off electricity before touching someone who has suffered an electrical burn.
- Keep away from spilled chemicals.
- Do not put yourself in danger while trying to rescue another person.
WHO recommends ensuring the responder's safety before starting first aid.
Step 1: Stop the burning process
Move the person away from the source of heat if you can do so safely.
If clothing is on fire, the priority is to extinguish the flames.
Once the burning has stopped, begin cooling the affected area.
Do not waste time looking for a home remedy before cooling the burn.
Step 2: Cool the burn with running water
Put the burned area under cool running water as soon as possible.
Ghana's Ministry of Health Standard Treatment Guidelines recommend placing the affected part under running water when available until the pain goes away or is reduced.
WHO also recommends cool running water to reduce the temperature of the burn.
For a small burn, cool the affected area rather than immersing the person's entire body in cold water.
Avoid ice.
Ice can cause additional skin damage and is specifically discouraged by WHO.
Step 3: Remove jewellery and loose clothing near the burn
If the person has rings, watches, bracelets or other tight items near the injured area, remove them early if they are not stuck to the skin.
Burned areas can swell.
However, do not pull away clothing or other material that has become stuck to the burn.
Trying to remove stuck material can cause further injury.
Step 4: Leave blisters alone
A burn may develop blisters.
Do not deliberately burst, puncture or peel them.
Ghana's Ministry of Health treatment guidelines specifically advise leaving intact blisters alone.
If a blister breaks accidentally, keep the area clean and seek medical advice when appropriate.
What should you NOT put on a fresh burn?
This is where many traditional home treatments can cause problems.
Do not put substances such as:
- Shea butter
- Cooking oil
- Toothpaste
- Butter
- Raw eggs
- Flour
- Powder
- Herbal preparations
- Unprescribed creams
- Ice directly on the burn
WHO advises against applying paste, oil, raw cotton and ice to burns.
The Ghana Ministry of Health guidelines also advise against creams or ointments as part of the initial treatment described in its burn-management guidance.
The important principle is simple:
Cool the burn with water rather than covering a fresh burn with a household substance.
Why should you avoid home remedies?
Some substances may trap heat, contaminate the wound or make it more difficult for health professionals to assess and treat the injury.
Research from the University of Ghana has documented the use of substances including shea butter, palm kernel oil, kola-nut juice and raw eggs as first-aid measures for childhood burns in some Ghanaian communities.
That does not mean every traditional practice is equally harmful, but it does show why clear first-aid information matters.
For an acute burn, the evidence-based first step is cooling the injury with appropriate running water rather than applying household substances. WHO specifically recommends cool water and warns against several commonly used alternatives.
How do you know if a burn is serious?
Not every burn looks the same.
A burn may cause:
- Red skin
- Pain
- Swelling
- Blisters
- Peeling skin
- White or pale areas
- Charred or blackened tissue
The Ghana Ministry of Health guidelines identify blister formation and charring among signs associated with burns and also highlight inhalation injuries such as soot in the throat, hoarseness and black particles in sputum.
A burn can therefore be more serious than its size initially suggests.
Get urgent medical attention for serious burns
Seek urgent medical care when a burn is:
- Large or extensive
- Deep
- Charred or blackened
- On the face
- Around the eyes
- On the hands
- On the feet
- Around major joints
- Around the genitals
- Caused by electricity
- Caused by a chemical
- Associated with difficulty breathing
- Associated with smoke or hot-fume inhalation
Also seek medical attention when the person's overall condition is concerning or you are unsure about the severity of the burn.
WHO notes that burn injuries can require medical care and that inhalation injuries can accompany burns.
What if the burn was caused by electricity?
Electrical burns should not be treated like an ordinary small kitchen burn.
First, make sure the electrical source has been switched off.
Do not touch someone who is still in contact with a live electrical source.
Electrical injuries can cause internal damage and heart problems even when the skin injury looks relatively small.
The Ghana Ministry of Health guidelines identify electrical burns as a distinct type of burn injury and note that electrical burns can be associated with ECG changes.
Medical assessment is therefore important after an electrical injury.
What if the burn was caused by a chemical?
Chemical burns require particular care.
The first priority is to stop exposure and prevent the chemical from continuing to damage the skin.
WHO recommends removing or diluting the chemical agent by irrigating the affected area with large amounts of water.
If the chemical is a powder, Ghana's Ministry of Health guidance says to brush it off the affected area before placing the area under running water.
Avoid touching the chemical with bare hands.
Because chemical burns can be serious, medical assessment is important.
What if hot water or soup causes the burn?
Hot liquids can cause scalds.
Immediately move away from the hot liquid and cool the affected skin under running water.
If clothing is soaked with hot liquid, remove clothing that is not stuck to the skin.
Do not pull away material that has adhered to the burn.
Hot water, steam and hot soup are among the causes of burns identified in Ghana's Ministry of Health treatment guidelines.
What if cooking oil causes the burn?
Hot cooking oil can produce significant burns.
Move away from the heat source safely and cool the affected skin with running water.
Do not apply additional cooking oil, butter or other oily substances to the injury.
If the burn is extensive, deep or affects an important area such as the face or hands, seek medical attention.
What if a child gets burned?
Children need particular attention after burns.
A child's skin and body are different from an adult's, and a burn can become serious quickly.
Cool the burn promptly with running water and seek medical advice when the injury is significant or you are unsure about its severity.
Keep children away from hot cooking areas, uncovered pots, hot liquids and open flames whenever possible.
Ghana's Ministry of Health has identified burns as an important injury category and Ghana has specialist burns services, including the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Should you cover a burn?
After cooling, the burn should be protected from contamination.
WHO advises wrapping the patient in a clean cloth or sheet and transporting them for medical care when appropriate.
For a serious burn, avoid putting creams, powders or other substances directly onto the wound before medical assessment.
If you are unsure how to cover a particular burn, a health professional can advise you based on its size, depth and location.
What about pain?
Burns can be painful.
Cooling the injury with appropriate running water can help reduce pain.
For significant burns, pain management should form part of professional medical treatment.
Do not delay medical care because you are trying different household remedies for pain.
A simple burn first-aid routine to remember
If someone suffers a burn, remember:
STOP → COOL → PROTECT → CHECK
STOP
Stop the burning process and move away from the source safely.
COOL
Cool the affected area with cool running water.
PROTECT
Keep the injury clean and do not apply household substances or break blisters.
CHECK
Look for signs that the burn is serious and seek medical attention when necessary.
Common mistakes after a burn
Putting toothpaste on the burn
Toothpaste is not a recommended first-aid treatment for burns.
Applying shea butter immediately
Although shea butter is widely used in Ghanaian households, it should not replace recommended first aid for an acute burn.
Putting ice directly on the skin
WHO specifically advises against ice because it can deepen the injury.
Bursting blisters
Leave intact blisters alone. Ghana's Ministry of Health guidance specifically recommends this.
Ignoring a small-looking electrical burn
An electrical injury can involve internal damage that is not obvious from the skin.
Waiting too long to seek help
If the burn is severe, involves a sensitive area, affects breathing or was caused by electricity or chemicals, seek medical attention promptly.
Where can you seek help in Ghana?
For serious burns, go to an appropriate health facility or emergency department.
Ghana has specialist burns services, including the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
The Ministry of Health also identifies Accident and Emergency services among the services available at major hospitals such as Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
If you are unsure where to go, contact a health facility or emergency service for guidance.
Final takeaway
When someone gets burned, the first few minutes should not be spent searching for toothpaste, oil, butter or another household remedy.
Stop the burning, cool the affected area with running water, avoid putting substances on the injury, leave blisters intact and seek medical care when the burn is serious.
Ghana's Ministry of Health treatment guidelines and WHO guidance support these basic first-aid principles.
Knowing what to do before reaching a health facility can help prevent additional damage and may make an important difference in the person's recovery.
Health note: This article provides general first-aid information and does not replace assessment by a qualified healthcare professional. Serious burns, electrical burns, chemical burns, burns involving the airway or extensive burns require prompt medical attention.
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