Which statement describes a second-degree burn?

• A. Blisters and painful
• B. No pain due to nerve damage
• C. Red and painful
• D. Involves muscle and bone

Answer: (A)

Second-degree burns are partial-thickness injuries that affect the epidermis and part of the dermis. They typically cause blistering as fluid builds between skin layers, and because nerve endings in the affected dermis are exposed, they are quite painful. This combination—blisters plus pain—is the hallmark that best fits a second-degree burn. A description of no pain due to nerve damage would suggest a deeper injury where nerves are destroyed, not typical of second-degree. Redness with pain could describe a milder burn, but without blistering it’s less specific for second-degree. Involvement of muscle and bone indicates a much deeper burn (often called a full-thickness or deeper injury), not second-degree.