Folk medicine: Is the solution or problem?

Aim: A variety of traditional first aid methods in the treatment of burns have been developed. These treatment modalities can bring unusual medical issues. We present a traditional burns first aid method ‘shoe polish applying’ for scald burns. Methods: 5 patients (Male: 3, Female: 2), who applied shoe polish to burns due to scald burns, were admitted to our burn centre between 2002 and 2015. The mean age was 29.8 (range: 20 -53). Olive oil impregnated gauzes were applied to facilitate removing the paint at the night before the operation. Mechanical debridement by using Versajet (Smith & Nephew, London,UK) was performed while patients were under general anesthesia. Results: The shoe polish was removed from all of the patients. Burned areas healed after appropriate dressings and no skin graft application was needed. Conclusion: The Versajet Hydrosurgery System and olive oil or other oily substances usage has strong effects on the treatment. Permanent black tattoos can occur in the later stages, if patients do not take proper treatment.