What happens when a 2nd degree burn occurs?

When a second-degree burn occurs, the skin indeed breaks and blisters form. This type of burn affects both the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and part of the underlying layer (dermis). The appearance of blisters is a characteristic feature of second-degree burns, as they result from the damage to the skin layers, which leads to fluid accumulation between the layers. This fluid-filled accumulation protects the lower layers of skin, promotes healing, and reduces the risk of infection.

In contrast, the other scenarios describe different types of burns or conditions. For instance, while a first-degree burn may cause reddening of the skin, it does not damage the layers of skin to the point of blistering. A third-degree burn entails deep tissue damage that affects all layers of the skin and can even extend to the underlying tissues. Additionally, burns that cause no blisters typically refer to first-degree burns, which only involve the outer layer and do not result in the formation of blisters. This unique characteristic of second-degree burns makes the presence of blisters a definitive sign used to identify and categorize the severity of the burn.