GREATER SPRINGFIELD – People feeling hot when the weather turns cool are likely hard at work in their kitchens, cooking and baking for the holidays. That explains the uptick in the number of burns treated at AFC Urgent Care in their Springfield and West Springfield locations.

“Even experienced cooks often get a bit more harried while cooking for the holidays,” said Dr. Vincent Meoli, regional medical director of AFC Urgent Care, the largest urgent care provider in the Commonwealth. “Folks may have more pots on the stove than usual, be baking in larger quantities and have more distractions. This makes accidents more likely.”

The experts at AFC Urgent Care offer the following tips to help prevent cooking and baking burns:
• Take time to gather the necessary tools and keep them in easy reach. Potholders and oven mitts should be out and easily accessible. Every kitchen should be equipped with a fire extinguisher and a cook who knows how to use it.
• Stand back when removing a pot’s lid or when draining hot liquids to prevent steam burns.
• Keep pot handles turned inward so they can’t be knocked over and remember that stove burners often stay hot enough to burn even after they have been turned off.
• When working with hot grease or boiling liquids, stand back and make sure hands and arms are protected with long sleeves and mitts. Don’t lean over the stove.
• Never mix hot liquids in a blender, even with the lid on.
• Eliminate distractions and keep small children and pets well away from the work area.

If a burn occurs, Meoli said to quickly soak the area in cool water until the pain diminishes. “Don’t use ice or ice water,” he said. “It may slow healing and the burned skin is more vulnerable to frostbite.”

He also advised:
• If the burn seems superficial and the skin is not blistered, it is a first degree burn. Cover it with a dry, sterile dressing. If redness and pain continue for more than a few hours, see a health care professional.
• A second degree burn is likely to have oozing or blistering. Again, it should be covered with dry sterile dressing. Over-the-counter pain medication can be taken as needed for pain. Seek medical attention to help reduce the risk of infection, especially if the burn covers a large area or is on the face, hands, feet or joints.
• Third degree burns are deeper, going down through muscle to bone and require emergency attention.

Do not put butter, oil/grease or powder on burns. “These home-remedies do more harm than good and can make the injury worse,” said Meoli

AFC Urgent Care in Springfield and West Springfield offers short wait times and convenient hours, including nights, seven days a week, with no appointment needed. Online check-in and current wait times are available at AFCUrgentCareSpringfield.com.