Will my burn heal?

I recently did something very stupid.  My friend dared me to a test of willpower.  We put our arms together while another friend put a lit cigarette in between them, and the first one who flinched would lose the dare.  Of course I know now that the only real way to win that bet is not to do it in the first place.

The cigarette burned approx. an inch of my skin.  Immediately after the cigarette was extinguished, I examined the burn.  It seems like the first layer of skin was burned off, as I easily brushed it off (kinda like dead skin from a sunburn).  Underneath the area of dead skin was sort of a white streak.  No puss, no blood, no blister.  No real pain.  

It has been a week now, and the burn still has a white (slightly less so now) color, surrounded by a ridge of red skin.  There is some minor pain, but nothing serious.  Some hair is still growing through the white skin.  

Granted, this was an incredibly stupid thing to do and I regret it immensely.

My questions are this:
-What type of burn does this seem like (2nd degree deep partial thickness)?
-How long does this wound take to heal, if at all?
-Does the white discoloration fade over time, matching more of my normal skin tone.?
-How long can I expect for this type of wound to normalize into a permanent state?
-What are the types of techniques available for reducing the scarring?
-Are there any remedies I should be employing to accelerate the healing/reduce scarring in the future?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.  Thank You.

[Jeffrey S Guy, M.D., M. Sc.]

>>>My questions are this:
-What type of burn does this seem like (2nd degree deep partial thickness)?
-How long does this wound take to heal, if at all?
-Does the white discoloration fade over time, matching more of my normal skin tone.?
-How long can I expect for this type of wound to normalize into a permanent state?
-What are the types of techniques available for reducing the scarring?
-Are there any remedies I should be employing to accelerate the healing/reduce scarring in the future?


What type of burn does this seem like (2nd degree deep partial thickness)?
I would say 3rd degree since you described the burn as white and not too painful.

How long does this wound take to heal, if at all?
It will scar in over a couple of weeks , perhaps 2 to 3.

How long can I expect for this type of wound to normalize into a permanent state? Perhaps a month.

What are the types of techniques available for reducing the scarring?
Avoid alot of dierct sunlight. Some pressure to the area in the form of a silicon sheet that one might be abelt o get at a local pharmacy.  

[DylanD]

I was with a few friends and one of my friends felt like being stupid and he put his cigarette out on my arm and he just did it without my permission.  It should only be a 1st degree burn and it shouldn't go away, at least mine hasn't and its been almost a year but mines like a white circle on my arm with a little bit of pink

[eolhcute]

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[amie38]

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