The mildest burn that involves only the top layer of skin is called a what?

• A. Second degree burn
• B. First degree burn
• C. Fourth degree burn
• D. Third degree burn

Answer: (B)

Burn depth describes how far the skin is damaged. When only the outermost skin layer, the epidermis, is affected, the burn is the mildest form. This is called a first-degree burn. It usually causes redness and pain, maybe some swelling, but no blisters, and it heals in a few days without scarring.

Second-degree burns go deeper into the dermis and often form blisters, with more intense pain and longer healing. Third-degree burns go through the full thickness of the skin and may look white, brown, or charred and can numb due to nerve damage. Fourth-degree burns extend beyond the skin to underlying tissues like muscle or bone.

So, the mildest burn involving only the top layer is a first-degree burn.