An Overview of Rug Burns

Rug burn refers to an injury that describes scraping off layers of skin. A more correct term would be friction burn since there's no real difference between the damage done through friction with a carpet or any other surface. Another name is road rash—commonly used when a combination of asphalt and high speeds is the cause.

Even though a rug burn could be referred to as (and is essentially a form of) a skin abrasion, the depth, and severity of the injury require that it be treated very similarly to other types of burns (thermal or electrical, for example).

Rug Burn Symptoms

The hallmark of a friction burn is damage to the skin over a wide area. The area will be red, raw, and could be bleeding or weeping fluid. The biggest difference between a rug burn and road rash is how dry the injury is.

Rug burns are usually much drier. Road rash is more likely to weep. The difference could have something to do with the fibrous nature of rugs and carpets versus the harder surfaces of gravel and asphalt. Besides the obvious physical injury, the biggest symptom of a rug burn is pain.

Causes

All burns cause injury to the skin, which consists of three layers of tissue: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous. The surface of the skin is the epidermis, which is the layer that is always damaged or missing in a burn injury.

Deeper burns can extend into the dermis, where most of the nerve endings and hair follicles are located. The deepest burns extend into, or through, the subcutaneous, a layer of fatty tissue under the dermis.

Friction burns account for about 1% to 2% of all types of burns. Statistics on the different surfaces that cause friction burns—rug burns, road rash, treadmills, etc.—are not readily available. Anything that can rub off layers of skin can cause a friction burn.

Carpets or rugs are well-known culprits. A more modern growing cause of friction burn is the treadmill, which can be particularly damaging to kids. Luckily, in most cases, treatment is fairly straightforward.

Burn Severity

The severity of friction burns, like all burns, is measured through a combination of the depth of the burn—how many layers of skin are involved—and the overall size of the burn as measured in percent of body surface area injured. Burn depth is expressed in degrees of burn:

• First-degree friction burns are superficial and only affect the epidermis. These are as likely to be referred to as skin abrasions as friction burns.
• Second-degree friction burns have completely scraped away the epidermis and are now affecting the dermis. This is where rug burns develop bleeding and, in some rare cases, weeping clear fluid.
• Third-degree friction burns are extremely rare and occur when the injury has completely removed both the epidermis and dermis, exposing the subcutaneous layer, or muscle underneath. The amount of sustained force necessary for third-degree rug burns make them highly unlikely.

Different types of burns have unique characteristics and complications. For example, rug burns can happen to hands, feet, face, and genitalia, but in the case of facial injury, rug burns do not come with the same types of complications that thermal burns do.

In other words, a patient is not in danger of inhaling super-heated air when getting a rug burn the way they could when getting a thermal burn.

Treatment

Rug burns are treated much the same way as other types of burns:

1. Rinse the burn and clean it with warm water and gentle soap. Unlike a thermal burn, there is no need to rinse a rug burn for several minutes to cool it. The injury stops getting worse as soon as the friction stops.
2. Cover the burn with a dry dressing. It is OK to moisturize and soothe a rug burn with a burn gel or ointment. Some patients experience relief and it won't hurt healing.
3. Over-the-counter medications may be used for pain.

When to See a Doctor

Any rug burn on the hands and feet, especially the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet, that is large enough to interfere with function should be seen by a doctor. Also, see a doctor for any rug burns to the face or genitals, or any burn deeper than first degree that covers an area bigger than a whole thigh.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you put on a rug burn?

For first-degree friction burns, you can use an over-the-counter antibacterial ointment with a local anesthetic for pain relief. Rug burns expose multiple small nerve endings and can be particularly painful, even with minor wounds. Avoid putting any other lotions on the burn until it heals.

How long does a rug burn take to heal?

First-degree friction burns should take about a week to heal. Second and third-degree burns take longer to heal, may require skin grafts, and depending on the severity, may cause scarring.

A Word From Verywell

Anyone who grew up with wall-to-wall carpet and was prone to wrestling matches with siblings is well acquainted with rug burns. Unlike thermal burns, they don't keep getting worse after the initial injury. Rug burns are common injuries and are not life-threatening.

Most of the time, you can treat them yourself right in your home. The most dangerous modern friction burns come from kids and treadmills. Be very careful with children around treadmills and make sure to take all the precautions to keep your child from turning on a treadmill when you're not there.