Preparing for an appointment

Seek emergency medical care for burns that are deep or involve your hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks, a major joint or a large area of the body. Your emergency room physician may recommend examination by a skin specialist (dermatologist), burn specialist, surgeon or other specialist.

For other burns, you may need an appointment with your family doctor. The information below can help you prepare.

List questions you want to ask your doctor, such as:

• Do I need treatment for the burn?
• What are my treatment options and the pros and cons of each?
• What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
• Can I wait to see if the burn heals on its own?
• Do I need prescription medication, or can I use over-the-counter medications to treat the burn?
• What results can I expect?
• What skin care routines do you recommend while the burn heals?
• What kind of follow-up, if any, will I need?
• What changes in my skin might I expect to see as it heals?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

• How did the burn occur?
• Do you have other symptoms?
• Do you have underlying health conditions, such as diabetes?
• What at-home burn treatments have you used, if any?
• Have you noticed any changes in the appearance of the burn?