Put Butter on a Burn to Soothe It

Butter is one of the worst things you can put on a burn. Fat traps heat against the skin, so instead of cooling the burn it can hold the heat in and let the injury keep cooking, and the greasy layer plus whatever bacteria it carries raises the risk of infection in damaged skin. Toothpaste, oil, ice, and egg whites are all on the do-not list for similar reasons. The correct, boring, effective first aid is cool running water: hold the burn under a gently running cool tap for around 20 minutes, which actually draws the heat out and limits the damage, then cover it loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing or cling film and seek medical help for anything more than a small, minor burn. Ice is too harsh and can damage tissue further. So skip the pantry remedies. The fix is the tap, not the butter dish, and it works far better than the thing your nan swore by.