The seriousness of a burn is assessed in degrees depending on the number of layers of skin involved.
A sunburn, or a red mark on a finger touched to an iron, is a first-degree burn.
A second-degree burn blisters.
Third-degree burns mean that all skin is destroyed right down to the layer of tissue under the skin.
Burns on faces, hands, and feet can be more serious than a wound on the thigh, for example, because of the importance of these body parts.
Burns to the genital area are also more dangerous because they are vulnerable to infection.
Second and third degree burns always require immediate medical attention, the first thirty seconds are crucial, to remove the cause of the burn, cool the skin, and protect against infection.
The chance of having a stroke is 1 in 6.
The chance of dying from heart disease is 1 in 3.
The chance of getting arthritis is 1 in 7.
The chance of getting the flu in the course of a year is 1 in 10.
The chance of contracting the human version of mad cow disease is 1 in 40,000,000.
The chance of dying from any kind of fall is 1 in 20,666.
