In addition to the type and degree of burn, there are other factors that help determine the severity and treatment of a burn.

The American Burn Association has identified three risk groups of burn patients. Using this information they have divided burns into major, moderate, and minor burns based on severity of burn and the patient risk group.

Risk groups by age and health include:

• Low-Risk Patients: between the ages of 10 and 50 years
• Higher-Risk Patients: under 10 years of age or over 50 years
• Poor-Risk Patients: underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes

Major Burns
Major burns are:

• Any burns in infants or the elderly
• Any burns involving the hands, face, feet, or perineum
• Burns complicated by fractures or other trauma
• Burns complicated by inhalation injury
• Burns crossing major joints
• Burns extending completely around the circumference of a limb
• Electrical burns
• Full-thickness burns of greater than 10% body surface area in any risk group
• Partial-thickness burns more than 20% body surface area in the higher-risk group
• Partial-thickness burns more than 25% of the body surface area in the low-risk group

Moderate Burns
These include:

• Partial-thickness burns of 15 to 25% body surface area in the low-risk group
• Partial-thickness burns of 10-20% body surface area in the higher-risk group
• Full-thickness burns of at least 10% body surface area or less in others

Minor Burns
Minor burns must be:

• Less than 15% body surface area in the low-risk group
• Less than 10% body surface area in the higher-risk group
• Full-thickness burns that are less than 2% body surface area in others