Myth #20: The Effect Oil Has on a Burn

Let’s turn up the heat on this enduring misconception: relying on oil to treat burns is not the panacea it’s cracked up to be. Contrary to the age-old advice, using oil can actually fan the flames of your burn problems by trapping heat, potentially deepening the wound and stalling the healing process.

The game plan? Give the burnt area a good soak under the faucet for a solid ten minutes. This will help cool the skin, ease the pain, and kickstart the healing process. Once you’ve got it adequately cooled, wrap the affected area in a clean, non-stick bandage to ward off any unwelcome infections.