Which description matches a first-degree burn?

Which description matches a first-degree burn?

• A. Waxy white, dark-brown appearance.
• B. Redness and mild swelling.
• C. Moist blebs and severe pain.
• D. Dry, leathery eschar with no pain.

Answer: (B)

First-degree burns involve only the outer skin layer (the epidermis). They show redness, mild swelling, and pain, but no blisters or deep tissue damage. Healing happens in a few days without scarring. The description of redness with mild swelling fits this pattern because it reflects superficial loss of skin only, with intact dermis and preserved sensation that is typical of a first-degree burn. Other descriptions point to deeper injuries: moist blebs and severe pain indicate a second-degree burn with damage to the dermis and blistering; a dry, leathery eschar with no pain signals a full-thickness burn with nerve destruction; waxy white or dark-brown appearances suggest deeper tissue injury as well.

First-degree burns involve only the outer skin layer (the epidermis). They show redness, mild swelling, and pain, but no blisters or deep tissue damage. Healing happens in a few days without scarring. The description of redness with mild swelling fits this pattern because it reflects superficial loss of skin only, with intact dermis and preserved sensation that is typical of a first-degree burn. Other descriptions point to deeper injuries: moist blebs and severe pain indicate a second-degree burn with damage to the dermis and blistering; a dry, leathery eschar with no pain signals a full-thickness burn with nerve destruction; waxy white or dark-brown appearances suggest deeper tissue injury as well.