Hand Burns
Burns to the hand can threaten skin coverage, tendon glide, joint motion and long-term function even when the total burned area is small.
Initial care
Remove rings, watches and constricting items early. Cool a recent thermal burn with cool running water when appropriate, while avoiding ice directly on the skin and preventing hypothermia in larger burns.
Assessment
Burn depth, surface area, mechanism, circulation, sensation and involvement of joints or circumferential tissues are important. Electrical and chemical burns require mechanism-specific assessment.
Why the hand is special
Thin soft tissue over tendons and joints makes contracture and adhesion particularly important. Functional position and early therapy are central to treatment.
Superficial burns
Superficial partial-thickness burns may heal with dressings and wound care while movement is maintained as safely as possible.
Deep burns
Deep partial-thickness and full-thickness burns may require excision and grafting or more complex reconstruction when tendons, joints or bone are exposed.
Rehabilitation
Splinting, oedema control, scar management and range-of-motion exercises may continue long after wound closure.
Circumferential burns, electrical burns, chemical burns, deep burns, impaired circulation or burns with significant associated trauma need urgent specialist care.