Three Types of Burn Relief

Milk is an excellent compress for minor burns. Soak the burned area in milk for about 15 minutes or apply a milk-soaked cloth to the area. Whole milk's fat content soothes burns and promotes healing. Of course, rinse your skin and the cloth in cool water after or the milk will begin to stink.

A less known option is to use Preparation H, the hemorrhoid treatment cream for treating minor burns. Pat it on the area and you can reduce a few days off the healing time. This is because it contains a yeast derivative that speeds healing.

The most common option is to use cold water to soothe a new burn. However, using ice water can risk making the burn worse, because extreme cold can kill just as many skin cells as extreme heat. Cool water will stop the burning from spreading through your tissues and will act as a temporary painkiller.