Which degree of burn may appear dry or stiff with a variety of coloring?

Which degree of burn may appear dry or stiff with a variety of coloring?

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

Answer: (C)

Dry, stiff, and leathery skin with a variety of coloring is the hallmark of a full-thickness burn, where all layers of the skin are destroyed. Because the entire thickness is damaged, the surface loses the moisture seen in blisters and becomes dry and firm, with colors ranging from white or ivory to brown, red, or black. Nerve endings are damaged in this depth, so the burned area may be painless while surrounding tissue remains very painful. This differs from superficial burns, which are red and painful but not leathery or dry, and from partial-thickness burns, which are moist and blistered. Burns that go deeper into muscle or bone are even more extensive and typically appear charred and involve deeper structures. Thus, the description best fits a full-thickness burn.

Dry, stiff, and leathery skin with a variety of coloring is the hallmark of a full-thickness burn, where all layers of the skin are destroyed. Because the entire thickness is damaged, the surface loses the moisture seen in blisters and becomes dry and firm, with colors ranging from white or ivory to brown, red, or black. Nerve endings are damaged in this depth, so the burned area may be painless while surrounding tissue remains very painful. This differs from superficial burns, which are red and painful but not leathery or dry, and from partial-thickness burns, which are moist and blistered. Burns that go deeper into muscle or bone are even more extensive and typically appear charred and involve deeper structures. Thus, the description best fits a full-thickness burn.