What Makes Chemical Burns Different
Chemical burns happen when a substance damages tissue by corrosive action (for example, strong acids, strong alkalis, oxidizers, solvents). Damage can continue as long as the chemical remains on the body or keeps reacting with moisture on the skin or eye. Some products also release harmful vapors that irritate or injure the airways. First aid focuses on stopping exposure (decontamination) and getting the right help quickly.
Common sources
- Household cleaning products: drain cleaners (often strong alkali), oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners (often acid), bleach, descalers, rust removers.
- Industrial agents: concrete/cement (alkaline), battery acid, pool chemicals, degreasers, metal cleaners, lab reagents.
- Agricultural products: some pesticides and fertilizers can irritate skin/eyes and cause breathing symptoms.
(1) Recognizing Chemical Exposure Routes
Skin exposure
Clues include immediate burning or pain, redness, whitening/gray discoloration, blistering, or a slippery/soapy feel (often with alkalis). With some chemicals, pain may be delayed even while damage progresses.
Eye exposure
Clues include stinging, tearing, inability to keep the eye open, redness, swelling of eyelids, blurred vision, or a sensation of grit. Eye exposures are time-critical because the cornea can be injured quickly.
Inhalation exposure
Clues include coughing, throat irritation, hoarseness, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, headache, dizziness, or nausea—especially after mixing products (for example, bleach with acids or ammonia can release toxic gases).
(2) Protecting Yourself First
Before helping, reduce your own exposure so you do not become a second casualty.
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- Ventilation: open windows/doors, turn on exhaust fans if safe to do so. If fumes are strong, do not enter a confined space.
- Barrier protection: wear gloves if available (nitrile/latex for many household products). If no gloves, use a clean plastic bag as a temporary barrier to handle contaminated clothing.
- Avoid spreading contamination: keep the chemical away from your skin, eyes, and clothing; keep the exposed person from touching their face.
- Call for help early if needed: if there are eye exposures, breathing symptoms, large-area skin exposure, or unknown/industrial chemicals, contact emergency services and/or poison advice promptly while decontamination is started.
(3) Immediate Actions for Skin Exposure
Step-by-step: skin decontamination
- Stop the source: turn off the sprayer, close the container, move away from spills.
- Remove contaminated clothing and jewelry: take off rings, watches, bracelets, and tight clothing quickly because swelling can occur and chemicals can be trapped against skin. Cut clothing off rather than pulling it over the head if it is soaked.
- If the chemical is a dry powder: brush it off first (use a cloth, gauze, or gloved hand) before adding water. Adding water to some powders can create a more damaging reaction or spread the chemical.
- Rinse with plenty of gently running water: flush the area continuously. Use cool to lukewarm water with low pressure (a shower, faucet, or hose on gentle flow). Keep rinsing for a prolonged period—often at least 20 minutes, and longer if irritation persists or the product is strongly corrosive.
- Keep runoff away: position the person so contaminated water runs away from unaffected skin and does not pool under the body.
- Do not apply “neutralizers”: do not use vinegar for alkali burns or baking soda for acid burns. Neutralization can generate heat and worsen injury.
- Do not apply creams/ointments immediately: they can trap chemical residue. Focus on thorough rinsing first.
Special situations
- Cement/concrete exposure: can cause significant burns with delayed pain. Remove contaminated clothing and rinse thoroughly; pay attention to areas where cement collects (boots, gloves, knee areas).
- Phenol and some industrial solvents: water may be less effective initially; still begin flushing and seek urgent expert guidance (poison advice/emergency services) while continuing decontamination.
- Hydrofluoric acid (industrial, rust removers in some settings): can cause severe deep injury and systemic effects. Treat as an emergency; rinse immediately and get urgent medical care.
(4) Eye Exposure Steps
Eye exposures require immediate, continuous flushing. Time matters more than finding the “perfect” solution.
Step-by-step: flushing the eye
- Start flushing immediately: use clean, gently running water or sterile saline if available. Do not delay to search for special eyewash.
- Hold the eyelids open: ask the person to look in different directions while flushing so water reaches under the lids.
- Flush continuously: keep rinsing for at least 20 minutes; longer if symptoms persist or if the chemical is strongly corrosive.
- Remove contact lenses: if they come out easily during flushing, remove them. If they are stuck, do not force—continue flushing and seek urgent care.
- Prevent cross-contamination: flush from the inner corner (near the nose) to the outer corner so chemicals do not wash into the other eye.
- Avoid neutralizing drops: do not put vinegar, baking soda solutions, or other “counter-chemicals” into the eye.
When to escalate urgently for eye exposure
Escalate immediately if any chemical enters the eye—especially if there is pain, blurred vision, difficulty keeping the eye open, or exposure to strong acids/alkalis. Continue flushing while arranging transport or awaiting help.
(5) Inhalation Exposure Basics
Breathing exposures can worsen over time, particularly after irritant gases or strong fumes. The priority is to stop exposure and monitor for respiratory distress.
Step-by-step: suspected inhalation
- Move to fresh air: leave the area with fumes; go outdoors or to a well-ventilated space.
- Loosen tight clothing around the neck/chest: make breathing easier.
- Monitor breathing: watch for increasing cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, chest pain, or fatigue. Listen for noisy breathing or voice changes.
- Seek urgent help if symptoms are significant: call emergency services for severe shortness of breath, persistent wheeze, chest tightness, fainting, confusion, or if the person has asthma/COPD and is worsening.
- Do not re-enter the contaminated area: even “quickly” to retrieve items, especially in bathrooms, basements, or other confined spaces.
High-risk scenario: mixing cleaners
If bleach was mixed with an acid (like toilet cleaner) or ammonia, treat any coughing or breathing difficulty as potentially serious. Move to fresh air and seek urgent advice; symptoms can progress after exposure ends.
(6) Information to Gather for Emergency Responders or Poison Advice
While decontamination is ongoing (or once it is safely underway), collect details that help professionals give precise guidance. If possible, bring the container or take a photo of the label.
| What to collect | Examples / notes |
|---|---|
| Product name | Brand and exact product (e.g., “drain opener gel”). |
| Active ingredients / type | Acid, alkali, bleach (sodium hypochlorite), ammonia, solvent, oxidizer; note any hazard symbols. |
| Concentration (if known) | Percent listed on label or SDS (e.g., “hydrochloric acid 10%”). |
| Route of exposure | Skin, eye, inhalation; whether swallowed (if ingestion occurred, mention it explicitly). |
| Time of exposure | When it happened and how long contact lasted before rinsing began. |
| Decontamination already done | How long rinsing has been performed; whether clothing was removed; any symptoms improving/worsening. |
| Symptoms | Eye pain/blurred vision; coughing/wheezing; skin pain, color change, blistering; dizziness. |
| Person details | Age, weight (for children), medical conditions (asthma), medications, pregnancy status if relevant. |
Practical example: what to say when calling
“Adult exposed to oven cleaner on forearm and hand. Contact for ~2 minutes before rinsing. Clothing removed. Rinsing with running water for 15 minutes so far. Skin is red and painful, no breathing symptoms. Product name: [exact name], contains sodium hydroxide. Need guidance on how long to continue rinsing and whether urgent evaluation is needed.”
