How to Cure a Curling Iron Burn
Sometimes beauty is a pain.
by Emily Gaynor
Heating tools usually make our lives much easier—a few strokes of a flat iron or twists of a curling iron and your desired ‘do is achieved. But special care needs to be taken when playing with fire. Scenario: The other day I was curling my hair and I smacked the device right into my forehead. After the shock of a 350-degree metal rod coming into contact with my skin subsided, I looked in the mirror and realized I really had hurt myself. I frantically looked up how to take care of a burn and even called my dad, a doctor, but everyone had different opinions on what to do next. Turns out, you really aren’t supposed to waste much time when it comes to a burn. I spoke with Dr. Jeannette Graf, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and Dr. Heidi Waldorf, Director of Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, to flesh out a full-proof plan for dealing with hair tool trauma.
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1. Cool moves. When a burn occurs, put a cold compress on the area ASAP. “As soon as you cool down the burn, it stops it from going deeper,” says Dr. Graf. This can mean preventing a first-degree burn from turning into a second-degree burn. What’s the difference between the two? A first degree means redness, while a second degree means broken skin and blistering. If you think you have a second or even third-degree burn, get to a doctor. Never apply ice directly to the burn, as that can freeze the skin. Instead, grab one of those squishy ice packs, or run a towel under cold water, advises Dr. Waldorf. Hold the cold compress on the burn for as long as possible, or at least until the burn is no longer hot to the touch.
2. Calm down. Once you’ve stopped the burn from spreading, Dr. Waldorf recommends applying a topical steroid like 1% Hydrocortisone to reduce inflammation.
3. Hands off. Whatever you do, do NOT pick at it or peel it. “That skin is a protective layer. If you take it off, it is more likely to scar,” says Dr. Graf.
4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. “Always keep your burn moist,” says Dr. Graf. “Moisture means that your skin will be less likely to scar.” Basically, you’ll speed up the healing process if you constantly apply moisturizer. Dr. Waldorf’s hydrating hero? Vaseline! “Think about chicken pox marks…those scar because they’re hard and scabby. Moisture means healing,” says Dr. Waldorf.
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5. Hold the makeup. Chances are you probably won’t be thrilled with the giant red intruder accessorizing your face, but both Drs. Graf and Waldorf advise skipping the concealer until the scab has healed. If you must cover it up, Dr. Graf recommends using Duoderm, a wound healing dressing that is skin-colored. “You can put makeup right over that,” she explains. If you can hold off on covering your burn with makeup, you should. Plus, you can tell everyone crazy stories about how you obtained your battle wound.
6. Sun smartly. Because burned skin is very sensitive, make sure you apply sunscreen. But don’t forget to put the product all over your face, not just on the burn, or you run the risk of discoloration. Besides, you should be wearing sunscreen all over every dayanyway. Now you know!
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