Which description matches a full-thickness burn?

• A. A third-degree burn that damages all skin layers and affects muscles and nerves; causes skin to look waxy, white, or charred.
• B. A first-degree burn affecting only the outer skin layer.
• C. A second-degree burn affecting epidermis and dermis with blisters.
• D. A chemical burn affecting tissue only superficially.

Answer: (A)

A full-thickness burn means complete destruction of the skin layers and often extends into deeper tissues. This deepest level, often called a third-degree burn, involves both the epidermis and dermis and may reach subcutaneous tissue, muscle, or nerves. The skin appearance is typically waxy, white, gray, or charred and the surface may feel firm or leathery. Because the nerves can be destroyed, the burn area often has little or no pain, even though the injury is severe. Healing can’t occur on its own at this depth, so treatment usually requires medical interventions like debridement and skin grafting, with a higher risk of infection and scarring.

Other descriptions describe shallower burns: a superficial burn affects only the outer skin layer and is painful with redness; a partial-thickness burn involves the epidermis and part of the dermis and often presents with blisters; a chemical burn can vary in depth, but saying it’s superficial doesn’t indicate full-thickness involvement.