The skin is an amazing organ, and the largest in the body. It not only protects internal organs and prevents infection by bacteria; it also regulates temperature, fluid balance, and Vitamin D production.
When the skin is burned, this functionality is impaired—particularly when the burn damages the interior layers of the skin. Burn victims must be kept warm to avoid hypothermia, must be hydrated, and their skin must be protected. In severe burns, the skin is at risk from infection at the open wound site and from surrounding dead skin that could affect healing. In many cases, the doctors and nurses use “debridement” to help remove dead skin so the patient can heal.