A deodorant burn is a burn inflicted by an aerosol. These types of Burns are often compared to frost bite in characteristics. The prolonged contact to skin with a deodorant can cause the contact area to freeze therefore creating a burn onto the effected area. Cases of deodorant burns are rare and tend to increase in severity depending on if the burn was purposely inflicted. It is important not to confuse a deodorant burn to a heat burn (scalding burn) caused when the deodorant gas is set on fire and contacts the skin.

Effects

The chemical butane

Butane

Butane is a gas with the formula C4H10 that is an alkane with four carbon atoms. The term may refer to any of two structural isomers, or to a mixture of them: in the IUPAC nomenclature, however, butane refers only to the unbranched n-butane isomer; the other one being called "methylpropane" or...

 is the effective agent within the common deodorant that on contact with the skin will cause it to freeze. When butane contact is prolonged onto the dermis (top layer) of skin the effects are obvious, the most common signs being discoloration of the skin. Turning white or grey is a sign of frost bite induced by the contact of butane onto the effected area. Other effects of a deodorant burns are:

• Redness and inflammation to the effected area
• The effected area turning solid as a result of freezing
• Pain to the effected area
• A ring around the main area of the burn

Chemical

Butane is the substance contained within deodorant that causes the skin to freeze on prolonged contact. Due to the chemical component the cause of the burn classifies as chemical.

Frostbite

Despite the cause of the burn to be chemical the result and effect of the butane contact is the freezing of mucus membranes within the skin layers, this is commonly known as frostbite. Therefore due to this effect a deodorant burn would classify as frostbite as well a chemical burn.

Severity

A burn caused by deodorant is split into the following degrees depending on the depth of damage caused to the skin and its underlining layers:

First Degree

If contact with the deodorant onto the effected area was short it may result in a first degree burn. This only effects the top layer of the skin and will cause redness and can be painful.

Second Degree

Most deodorant burns are second degree. This is when the damage extends into the dermis of the skin causing blistering and redness. Occurs after moderately prolonged contact with the skin. These burns will be painful.

Third Degree

Deodorant burns are rarely third degree. This type of burn is caused when the damage extends the entire dermis. Occurs after long and extended contact with the skin. A deodorant would have to be held very close to the skin in order to fully penetrate and freeze the entire dermis layer of the skin. These burns are painless.

Treatment

As the effective chemical in which cases the burn is butane, burns caused by deodorants should be treated like chemical burns. In all cases of chemical burns you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.. Despite the butane causing the burn the effect it has to the skin is known as frostbite. When treating deodorant burns its important to keep in mind both chemical and frostbite factors. Like most chemical burns deodorant burns should be cleaned immediately with lukewarm water to both remove the remaining chemical from the skin to minimize further burning and to reduce the risk of infection.

Cases

According to ABC News a notable increase in patient admissions with deodorant burns occurred with children within Bunbury, Australia.