Which statement best describes a superficial burn?

• A. Third-degree burn affecting all layers
• B. A first-degree burn that damages the first layer of skin; becomes red and very painful
• C. Chemical burn on the skin
• D. Deep tissue burn requiring graft

Answer: (B)

A superficial burn means damage is limited to the outermost skin layer, the epidermis. This is what a first-degree burn is. When the first layer is affected, the skin becomes red, there is noticeable pain, and healing occurs without scarring as deeper tissues are spared. The statement describing damage to only the first skin layer with redness and strong pain matches this definition. In contrast, injuries involving deeper skin layers (such as burns that affect the entire skin thickness) or injuries like chemical burns that don’t specify depth don’t fit the idea of a superficial burn. So the description of a burn confined to the epidermis, red and very painful, is the best fit.