Oh, Hot! Burns Target Chuseok... Usually 90 Cases a Day → 221 Cases During Holidays, "Be Careful When Preparing Holiday Food"

Image of Jeon frying. [Image source=Clipart Korea]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] During Chuseok, as kitchen appliances and fire are frequently used indoors and outdoors to prepare holiday foods, caution is needed to prevent burn accidents.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 2020 data on daily emergency medical center visits due to accidents during Chuseok, the average daily number of burn patients is 90 on regular days, but during the Chuseok holiday, it increases by 246% to an average of 221 cases per day.

A burn is a condition where the skin and soft tissues are damaged by fire, hot water, electricity, or chemicals.

When preparing holiday foods, caution is needed against scald burns caused by hot water, contact burns from hot pots or electric grills touching the skin, and steam burns from hot steam from pressure cookers.

Burns are classified from first-degree to third-degree depending on their severity. First-degree burns affect only the outermost epidermis layer of the skin, causing redness, swelling, and pain, but no blisters.

For first-degree burns, cool the heat using running water and apply skin moisturizers to protect the damaged skin. When the burn deepens and damages the upper dermis beneath the epidermis, blisters form, and this is classified as a second-degree burn.

If the burn deepens to damage the lower dermis, sensation may be lost or the skin may become pale. Do not pop blisters as this can cause secondary bacterial infections; instead, visit a medical institution for treatment.

Third-degree burns involve damage to the entire dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The larger the affected area, the longer the treatment period, and surgery and skin grafts may be necessary, so prompt medical attention is required.

If burns occur on fingers or joints, even if small, the skin may contract during healing, so a specialist’s diagnosis is necessary.

Dr. Gu Ki-beom, a surgeon at Daedong Hospital, said, “The causes of burns in daily life are more diverse than expected, so it is important to know and follow safety rules, and during the Chuseok holiday, extra caution is needed as electricity and fire are used more frequently.”

Dr. Gu advised, “Sometimes people use folk remedies at home with soju, doenjang, potatoes, etc., to avoid expensive emergency room fees during holidays, but this should be avoided due to infection risks. If the burn is judged to be severe, you must visit the nearest medical institution.”

When cooking holiday foods, avoid using multiple electrical appliances or kitchen devices simultaneously, and do not leave frying or other fire-based cooking unattended or heated for long periods.

Keep hot foods and other items requiring caution out of reach of children, and it is best to restrict kitchen access for children and elderly or mobility-impaired individuals for mutual safety.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.