How would i know if i had a 3rd degree burn?!

How would i know if i had a 3rd degree burn?

i had a staph infection on my nose so i put a hot pack on it for like forty minutes, it was really pretty hot but i like did it carefully but it was dumb..anyway. now my infection is gone but the skin around it (1cm) is like darker. i have brown skin and the skin is like dark brown...it doesnt hurt at all and its been like that for 2 days now. after i used the heating pack i realized i over did it and i put neosporin on it and that stung a little. what i want to know it could this be a third degree burn and should i get it checked since it doesnt hurt and it turned my skin darker (symtop of a 3rd degree burn)

Hi Taylor
Good question but likely not a third degree burn; The hot/warm pack would be insufficient to cause such a "full thickness injury" and if it were, you would have had a great deal of pain during the process: Of course warm packs are an excellent treatment for superficial infections and i believe that you did the right thing (how do you know it's a staph infection?)

Third degree, or full thickness burns, initially present with pain but the pain will subside within minutes or hours: This due to destruction of the nerve endings/pain receptors: You would continue to feel pain at the margins of your wound where the injury would not be as deep.
Initially, these severe burns present as bright red but do not blanch (turn white and immediately red after light pressure).
They rapidly progress (demark) to a white or gray color and may or may not have blisters (bullae): Initial treatment is to apply cool/cold clean compresses to cool the skin and decrease the depth of the injury: Elevation to prevent swelling, is imperative> The degree of swelling will determine weather a blood supply can reach the wound.

Full thickness burns, more than an inch square, over tendons, or major skin folds, usually require grafting and any other measures usually bring about delayed healing and infection.

Gentle scrubing with guaze, mild soap (debridement) will reduce the amount of forage for bacteria. Dilute white vinegar soaks (1:10 dilution)) several times a day are ususaly superior to over the counter antibiotic ointments .(neosporin).

If you actually suspect that deep of a burn, you have diabetes or an immune deficiency, or have a great deal of puss or purulence in a couple of days, best to see a cosmetic surgeon: You don't want a scar on your face.

As your wouild heals, it is normal for the surrounding skin to be red but not warm or painfull: This is due to an increased blood supply (hyperemia) and a normal stage/process of healing.
I hope that this will give you some info and direction.