How to Treat a Flat-Iron Burn

Everyday hairstyling can go awry when you're using hot tools to style your tresses. When a flat iron sizzles your skin instead of your locks, swift treatment is needed to reduce pain and inflammation. When your hand slips and that flat iron burns, put away the heat-styling tool, and focus on nourishing your skin after a minor burn.

Apply a cold compress to the affected skin immediately. Run a clean washcloth under cold water, and press it onto your skin for at least five minutes until the burning and discomfort subside.

Soothe the burned skin by applying aloe vera or 1 percent hydrocortisone cream to it. These products can target inflammation and discomfort caused by the heat.

Place a clean, sterile bandage or a piece of gauze on the burned skin. Replace the dressing daily until the burn has healed. Continue using an antibiotic ointment on your burn every day before your dressing change to promote healing and reduce chances of an infection.

If you've burned your arm, hand or ear with the flat iron, a bandage can protect the burned area as it heals. A facial burn, however, can't always be masked by a bandage without drawing too much attention to your first-degree burn. For facial burns, skip the dressing. To encourage healing, avoid touching it.

Take over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce pain, discomfort and swelling.

Apply a gentle moisturizing lotion to the burn once the skin has cooled down and is no longer painful. Hydrate the skin every day until the burn is gone to slow down peeling and flaking. Look for a moisturizer infused with SPF 30 or higher to ensure your burn stays protected from the sun's harmful rays as it heals.

• Don't mask your burn with makeup. It can irritate the burn and prolong healing. Stay makeup-free until new skin has formed on top of the burn.
• Use a gentle exfoliator or loofah to remove dead or dry skin from the surface once your burn has healed.