If a wound from a burn appears charred black, white, or dry, this is an example of which type of burn?

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

Answer: (D)

Charred black, white, or dry skin signals full-thickness damage, where both the epidermis and dermis are destroyed and may extend into deeper tissues. This deepest level of burn injury is what EMTs classify as a third-degree burn. Because the nerve endings in the burned area are destroyed, these burns can be surprisingly painless and feel dry or leathery with eschar. In contrast, first-degree burns are superficial and red and painful, while second-degree burns blister and remain moist. Fourth-degree burns involve structures deeper than the skin, like muscle or bone, and aren’t described by a dry leathery surface alone.