Which burn degree is the least severe?

• A. First
• B. Second
• C. Third
• D. Fourth

Answer: (A)

Burns are graded by depth; the least severe involves only the outer skin layer. This first-degree burn damages just the epidermis, so the skin looks red and is painful but there are no blisters. Because it doesn’t reach deeper tissues, it heals quickly—typically within a week—with little or no scarring. In welding or hot-plasma work, treat this by cooling the area with running water, removing the heat source, and protecting the skin as it heals, while watching for signs that require medical care (extensive area, face, hands, feet, joints, genitals, or infection). More severe burns extend into deeper layers of skin (second-degree with blisters, third-degree through full thickness, and fourth-degree into muscle or bone), and those require more intensive treatment.