Which description matches a third-degree burn?

• A. Painful with blisters.
• B. Painless, charring, dry and leathery skin.
• C. Red and warm with partial thickness.
• D. Dry, but intact sensation.

Answer: (B)

Third-degree burns are full-thickness injuries in which the entire depth of the skin is destroyed, often extending into underlying tissues. Because nerve endings are damaged, the burned area is typically painless, even though the injury is severe. The skin that remains or is created in the area is dry, rigid, and leathery in texture, and it may appear charred, white, brown, or black. Blisters are usually not present because the skin’s structure is obliterated. This combination of complete skin destruction with a dry, leathery, and often painless surface is the hallmark of a third-degree burn.