Burn care guide

Sunburn or minor burn care, online

For adults 18 or older with a sunburn, or a small burn from hot liquid, steam, grease, a hot object, or a flame that is smaller than the palm of your own hand.

Start online

Start a $59 online review for Sunburn or minor burn.

A sunburn or a small burn makes skin red, hot, and sore. The sun, a tanning bed, hot water, steam, grease, or a hot pan can cause it. A small burn can often be cared for at home. Cool water, gentle skin care, and pain medicine from the store do most of the work. The doctor reads your answers and photos. Then the doctor sends you a plan. You do not get a prescription. Signs that need care right away, or a doctor in person, are checked first.

This visit does not include a prescription. Your physician sends guidance and next steps through the portal.

Start this visit See response times

Quick facts

You must be physically located in Virginia or West Virginia at the time of request.
Starts at $59
No insurance needed
No app download
Physician review around the clock
A work or school note can be included when medically appropriate
Response times apply 24/7, every day

Common symptoms

Red, hot, sore skin after the sun or a tanning bed
A small burn from hot water, steam, grease, or a hot pan
Small blisters, or raw skin that weeps clear fluid

May fit online care

Adults 18 and older
You are 18 or older
You have a sunburn, or a small burn from something hot
A burn from something hot, and all blistered or raw skin added up, is smaller than the palm of your own hand, not counting the fingers
A red sunburn with no blisters can cover more skin
You can send at least two photos

Look for another care setting

Trouble breathing or wheezing, a hoarse voice, black mucus, burned lips or mouth, singed nose hairs or eyebrows, or a burn in a fire or a closed room with smoke (call 911 or go to the ER now).
A chemical or electrical burn, or a chemical in the eye (call 911 or go to the ER now).
Burned skin that is white, waxy, leathery, brown, or black, or that feels numb (call 911 or go to the ER now).
A burn all the way around a finger, toe, arm, leg, neck, or chest, or blisters or raw skin as big as a whole arm (call 911 or go to the ER now).
Another injury at the same time, confusion, fainting, a seizure, hot dry skin, a very high temperature, or fast breathing (call 911 or go to the ER now).
Skin peeling off in sheets, new sores in the mouth, eyes, or private parts, or a rash like a burn after a new medicine (call 911 or go to the ER now).
A change in vision, a painful red eye, or eye pain with a headache or feeling sick (call 911 or go to the ER now).
Someone is hurting you right now, or you are in danger (call 911 or go to the ER now).
A burn from something hot, or blisters or raw skin, on the face, ears, neck, hands, fingers, feet, toes, or a joint (go to the ER or urgent care today).
Any burn on the private parts, groin, or bottom (go to the ER or urgent care today).
Sore or gritty eyes, or light that bothers the eyes, with no change in vision (go to the ER or urgent care today).
A burn from something hot, or blisters or raw skin, the size of your palm or bigger (go to the ER or urgent care today).
Signs of infection, a fever, or chills (go to the ER or urgent care today).
A sunburn with vomiting, feeling sick, dizziness, great tiredness, a bad headache, or muscle cramps (go to the ER or urgent care today).
Great thirst, little or no urine, or feeling faint (go to the ER or urgent care today).
Severe pain when store pain medicine does not help or you cannot take it, pain that keeps getting worse after 2 days, someone burned you on purpose, or you do not feel safe at home (go to the ER or urgent care today).
Diabetes or a weak immune system with any burn (see a doctor in person today).
Blisters or broken skin with no tetanus shots, the first series not finished, or not sure (see a doctor in person today).
A burn from a heating pad, hot water bottle, car seat heater, or laptop that touched the skin for a long time, or frostbite (see a doctor in person today).
A child under 18 with a burn from something hot, or with blisters or raw skin, or a child under 4 with any burn (see a doctor in person today).
Blisters or broken skin, the first tetanus series finished, and the last tetanus shot 5 or more years ago (see a doctor in person within 2 days).
Age 65 or older with a burn from something hot, or blisters or raw skin (see a doctor in person within 2 days).
A child 4 to 17 with only a red sunburn (see the child's own doctor).
A radiation burn, a burn that is not healing, or a burn with another or unknown cause (see your own doctor).

What to have ready

At least two photos: a close-up and a wider one
A coin or a ruler to put next to a burn from something hot
When the burn happened and what caused it
When you had your last tetanus shot
Any allergy to a pain medicine, and the medicines you take

What happens next

Standard

$59

Within 6 hours

Priority

$99

Within 3 hours

Rush

$149

Within 1 hour

Start the request on the website, answer a few questions to check that this visit fits you, and choose how fast you want an answer (the response window). If your concern still fits this service, a physician reviews it and sends you a secure update after you sign in. A basic work or school note can be included at physician discretion.

Your physician

Every visit is personally reviewed by Ankur Fadia, MD. He is board-certified, has extra training in heart care (a cardiology fellowship), and is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, a medical honor society. He is licensed in Virginia and West Virginia, and your care is never handed off to someone else.

About Ankur Fadia, MD Verify Virginia medical license Verify West Virginia medical license Verify board certification

How does the visit work?

The doctor reads your answers and photos. Then the doctor sends you a plan. It tells you how to cool and care for your skin, and which pain medicine from the store you can use. Read the label first.

Do I get a prescription?

No. This visit does not include a prescription. Your plan may name acetaminophen or ibuprofen from the store, at the dose on the label. You pay the store for any medicine.

Do you give a tetanus shot?

No. We cannot give a tetanus shot. If your burn blistered or the skin broke, we ask about your tetanus shots. If you never had them, or you are not sure, or you did not finish the series, see a doctor in person today. If you did finish the series, and your last shot was 5 years ago or more, see a doctor in person within 2 days.

What are the first steps for a burn from something hot?

Right away, hold the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Do this within 3 hours of the burn. Do not use ice. Take off rings, watches, and tight clothes near the burn before it swells. Do not pull off anything that is stuck to the burn. Do not break blisters.

What is the photo check on day 2 or 3?

A burn can look worse on day 2 or 3. Look at it each day. If you have a burn from something hot, or blisters or raw skin, we will ask you for a new photo on day 2 or 3. The doctor looks at it and replies. This costs nothing extra. Do not wait for our reply if a warning sign starts.

When do I need care right away?

Call 911 or go to the ER now for trouble breathing, burned lips or mouth, a chemical or electrical burn, white, waxy, or numb skin, or a change in vision. Go to the ER or urgent care today for a burn from something hot, or blisters, on your face, hands, feet, or a joint. Go today for any burn on your private parts, or for signs of infection.

Other conditions we treat

Not quite what you have? Here are other conditions we treat.

Acne keloidalis nuchae Acne or breakouts Cold sores Dandruff or itchy scalp Diaper rash (age 4 to 17)Eczema flare