ABSTRACT
A chemical burn, or synonymously caustic burn, is an acute, severe irritant reaction in which the cells have been damaged to a point where there is no return to viability, i.e., a necrosis develops. One single skin exposure to certain chemicals can result in a chemical burn. These chemicals react with intracellular and intercellular components in the skin. However, the action of toxic (irritant) chemicals varies, giving partly different irritant reaction morphologically. They can damage, among other things, the horny layer, cell membranes, lysosomes, mast cells, leukocytes, DNA synthesis, blood vessels, enzyme systems, and metabolism.15 The corrosive action of chemicals depends on chemical properties of the chemicals, concentration, pH, alkalinity, acidity, temperature of the chemicals, lipid/water solubility, interaction with other substances, and duration and type
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(e.g., occlusion) of skin contact.16-20 It also depends on the body region, previous skin damage, and possibly on individual resistance capacity.
