I grabbed a hot pan handle without a mitt and seared the web of skin between my thumb and index finger. Bright red, throbbing, the kind of pain that makes you hold your breath. My first instinct — passed down from my grandmother — was to put butter on it. I actually opened the fridge and reached for the butter dish before stopping myself.

Butter on a burn is one of those old remedies that sounds right but makes things worse. It traps heat in the skin and can introduce bacteria into damaged tissue. Here is what actually works, based on what burn centers and dermatologists recommend.

Immediate Action: Cool Water, Not Ice

Run the burn under cool — not cold, not ice-cold — running water for at least ten minutes. Twenty is better. This is not about numbing the pain, though it helps. The cooling stops the heat from continuing to damage deeper layers of skin. A burn keeps cooking the tissue after you remove the heat source. Cool water halts that process.

Do not use ice. Ice constricts blood vessels and can cause frostbite on already damaged tissue. It also hurts worse when the numbing wears off. Cool tap water is the right temperature.

After Cooling: Clean and Cover

1. Wash gently with mild soap and water. Do not scrub. Pat dry — do not rub — with a clean towel.
2. Apply petroleum jelly or an antibiotic ointment. A thin layer keeps the burn moist and protected. Dry burns form scabs that crack and scar. Moist burns heal faster and hurt less.
3. Cover loosely with a non-stick bandage or gauze. The bandage keeps bacteria out and ointment in. Change it daily or whenever it gets wet or dirty.
4. Leave blisters alone. Popping a blister removes the sterile protective layer and opens the wound to infection. If a blister pops on its own, clean it gently, apply ointment, and cover.

What Not to Do (The Butter List)

• No butter, oil, or grease. Traps heat. Introduces bacteria.
• No toothpaste. This is another folk remedy. Toothpaste contains menthol and other irritants that sting damaged skin. It does nothing to help healing.
• No egg whites. I do not know who started this one. Egg whites are raw animal protein. Do not put them on an open wound.
• No cotton balls or fluffy fabrics. Fibers stick to the burn and are painful to remove. Use non-stick gauze or a smooth bandage.

When to See a Doctor

If the burn is larger than three inches across, on your face, hands, feet, groin, or over a major joint, or if it has white or charred skin, go to urgent care. Blisters are normal for second-degree burns — you can treat those at home. Anything deeper or larger needs professional attention.

My hand burn healed completely in about a week using nothing but cool water, petroleum jelly, and a bandage. No scar. The butter stayed in the fridge where it belongs.