**2. Description**

The skin, which is the largest organ of the body, constitutes 16% of the total body weight. It is 6–10 kg and 1.5–2 m2 in length in adult man. The skin is a protective covering for the organism and also acts as a sensory organ. It regulates body temperature and blood pressure by means of dermal vascular component. It synthesizes vitamin D3 with the effect of ultraviolet. Stratum corneum creates a barrier to prevent fluid and electrolyte loss and regulates transepidermal fluid passage. It provides homeostasis of the body against trauma that can be caused by various physical and chemical factors originating from the external environment [4]. Physical and chemical agents cause various damages to be formed directly, with thermal, mechanical, and radial factors, or as a result of the reactions they create [4].

Dermatitis developed due to high temperature trauma is defined as burn. Burn is an acute tissue injury caused by exposure to materials, solid or liquid, hot or showing effects of hot [5]. In skin and/or subcutaneous tissues, all of the acute damage caused by exposure to heat, cold, electricity, radiation, or chemical agents is burn. Although the developed damage is in the skin and subcutaneous tissues, it is a very comprehensive trauma that affects the entire organism due to the conditions, such as the depth of the burn, the surface area, the causative agent, and the infection and metabolic circumstances that may occur in the follow-up process, that determines the prognosis with the pathophysiology it caused [5, 6]. The skin loses its functions when it is burned. Burns can spread from outer layers of skin to deeper tissues [5].

The form of occurrence and duration of exposure to the active agent (flame, liquid, gas, chemical agents, etc.) is important in planning the treatment. A more detailed evaluation of the patient should be examined about general examination findings accompanying the burn. Whether there is evidence of dry cough, hoarseness, and breathing difficulties suggesting inhalation injury should be questioned in burns that develop due to flames. The anamnesis of the burn plays an important role, especially since antidote treatment may be needed aimed to the agent in chemical burns.

### **3. History**

The first written documents about burns were found 2400 years ago during the times of Hippocrates. In 1607, Hildanus had graded the burns. In 1799, Earle found that applying ice water to the burned area could prevent pain. During World War I, burns related to the use of sulfur-containing chemicals were observed and advanced treatment facilities were established for the treatment of burns after World War II [7].
