ABSTRACT
When human skin touches a hot surface, the skin heats up at a rate and to a level that depends upon the temperature of the hot surface, its material type, and contact time. The skin can be considered as three layers, and these are used to define the severity of burns. The outer, thinner layer is the epidermis which has a basement membrane which generates cells that progress towards the surface. The dermis is a thicker layer below the basement membrane and contains nerve endings, sebaceous glands, and is permeated by sweat pores and hair. The third layer is the adipose tissue which contains the sweat glands, the hair base, and the pressure sensors. A burn which damages the epidermis but not the basement membrane is called a superficial burn and is a first-degree burn, although classification systems vary. Burns are classified into three levels, depending on severity. These are superficial partial-thickness burns, deep partial-thickness burns and whole thickness burns.
