# What is the liquid inside of a 2nd degree burn **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901 "2005-11-01T14:15:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/1 "2005-11-01T14:15:17Z")
I have heard of people getting sunburns so bad that they get blisters filled with liquid, then they have to drain the liquid. What is the liquid though? I don’t see how it could be pus as pus is due to an infection. Is it just dead cell matter or what exactly that is getting drained? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/2 "2005-11-01T14:17:49Z")
IANAMD, but I suspect its white blood cells. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/3 "2005-11-01T14:21:57Z")
[Serum.](http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/blister/page.html) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/4 "2005-11-01T14:23:13Z")
[Lymph?](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002247.htm) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/5 "2005-11-01T14:25:06Z")
Memo te self, DON’T hit submit when you want to preview :smack: . From visitor Dan Pestana, we received futher information about serum: "Serum is the liquid part of the blood, normally a golden yellow color, that is left when the blood cells are removed. It is comprised of water, as well as a very high content of various proteins. These include: - albumin: a protein that aids in the proper retention of water in the bloodstream - globulins: which are antibodies - other useful proteins Serum accumulates on burns, scrapes, or impetigo sores and as it dries, produces a characteristic honey-golden crust". ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/6 "2005-11-01T14:46:32Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > a characteristic honey-golden crust". [Homer] Mmmmmm… Honey-golden crust! [/Homer] ---
**Author:** ![pretend\_my\_name\_is\_witty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9e5f3/32.png) [@pretend\_my\_name\_is\_witty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pretend_my_name_is_witty)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/7 "2005-11-01T16:46:30Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Memo te self, DON’T hit submit when you want to preview :smack: . > From visitor Dan Pestana, we received futher information about serum: > "Serum is the liquid part of the blood, normally a golden yellow color, that is left when the blood cells are removed. It is comprised of water, as well as a very high content of various proteins. These include: > > - albumin: a protein that aids in the proper retention of water in the bloodstream > - globulins: which are antibodies > - other useful proteins > Serum accumulates on burns, scrapes, or impetigo sores and as it dries, produces a characteristic honey-golden crust". If my biology classes are still correctly stored in my memory, we called it _ **tissue fluid** _ and it’s very similar to blood plasma but more ‘stuff’ in it. i.e; the proteins above. It’s the same stuff that you get in bedsores (well I dont, but if you have bedsores it’s the same stuff). Or if you squeeze a spot and you fail in making it burst, when it ‘weeps’ that horrible liquid it’s dispensing tissue fluid. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/8 "2005-11-01T17:17:30Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > [Homer] > Mmmmmm… Honey-golden crust! > [/Homer] LOL! Having had impetigo sores when I was young, this just hit me very funny! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/9 "2005-11-01T17:38:57Z")
> [@](#): > > I have heard of people getting sunburns so bad that they get blisters filled with liquid, then they have to drain the liquid. It was my understanding that it was best to leave a blister (of whatever cause) intact and full, if at all possible. A blister should only be drained if, without draining, it’s going to burst on its own. Could any other Dopers educated in first aid or medicine comment? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/10 "2005-11-01T18:08:09Z")
Let me be the first in this thread to say: EWW!!! ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/11 "2005-11-01T18:15:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It was my understanding that it was best to leave a blister (of whatever cause) intact and full, if at all possible. A blister should only be drained if, without draining, it’s going to burst on its own. Could any other Dopers educated in first aid or medicine comment? Mostly because draining/popping a blister breaks the skin and increases the risk of infection. The tissues in that area are already stressed, and thus less able to resist infectious agents. Many factors cause blisters, including traditional burns, exercise, cold damage, rashes, infections, and viruses. A whole bunch of stuff can delaminate skin, destroying the skin cells and releasing their fluid and proteins into other layers. I’m particularly and uncomfortably familiar with rashes, since I’m extremely sensitive to poison ivy/oak. I’ve been laid up for weeks at a time with blisters the size of golf balls! :eek: The proteins released by burned cells are particularly dangerous. Third degree burns can penetrate deep into skin, releasing huge amounts of protein into your bloodstream. These collect in your kidneys. Many burn victims die from kidney failure! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/12 "2005-11-01T21:21:35Z")
When, against all medical advice, I drain a blister, the liquid tends to be clear, not like the yellow-gold stuff that collects at a sore. Same with draining a cold sore (also a blister??). Is it just different concentrations of the ingredients other than water? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/13 "2005-11-01T21:27:50Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > …Same with draining a cold sore (also a blister??)… Cold sores [@](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cold-sore/DS00358) — also called fever blisters — are caused by the herpes simplex virus ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/14 "2005-11-01T21:35:13Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Cold sores [@](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cold-sore/DS00358) — also called fever blisters — are caused by the herpes simplex virus I know…that creepy thing is hiding in my spinal column when not breaking out :eek: But it does create blister-type things that ooze relatively clear fluid. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/15 "2005-11-02T00:50:54Z")
> [@](#): > > …that creepy thing is hiding in my spinal column… It’s called a **Tingler** , isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-liquid-inside-of-a-2nd-degree-burn/328901/16 "2005-11-02T01:46:29Z")
What is the fluid? It’s an exudate. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list\_uids=3358612&dopt=Abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3358612&dopt=Abstract) What’s an exudate? Exudates are fluids that are slowly discharged from blood vessels usually from inflamed tissues. They’re high in proteins and tend to be syrupy. They generally contain cells and cellular substances. Compare them to transudates, which are fluids that pass through a membrane or squeeze through tissue or into the extracellular space of tissues; transudates are thin and watery and contain few cells or proteins.