Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Britannica Sources used in this answer

What are the signs of a first-degree burn?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Cross-section diagram of human skin showing burn depth by degree, with arrows indicating that first-degree burns affect only the epidermis, second-degree burns reach the dermis, third-degree burns extend into subcutaneous tissue, and fourth-degree burns penetrate to muscle.
burn This diagram shows how burn injuries are classified by severity. First-degree burns damage the outer skin, known as the epidermis. First-degree burns are the least severe form of burn injury. Second-degree burns damage the outer skin and some of the underlying skin, known as the dermis, which also includes some connective tissue. Third-degree burns damage all the layers of skin, including subcutaneous tissue. Fourth-degree burns, which are the most severe, destroy every layer of skin and also damage muscle, tendons, and bones.

A first-degree burn is an injury that affects only the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. The primary signs of this type of burn include:

  • Redness: The affected area typically appears red.
  • Pain: These injuries are characterized by the presence of pain.
  • Minimal swelling: Any edema—swelling caused by fluid accumulation—in the wounded tissue is minimal.

Notably, first-degree burns do not involve the formation of blisters. A common example of this injury is a moderate sunburn.1