Which statement correctly defines a third-degree burn?

• A. Full thickness (charred, dry, leathery, whitish in color)
• B. Subdermal burn (burns extend through subcutaneous tissue into fascia, muscle, and bone)
• C. Partial thickness (wet to the touch, blisters)
• D. Superficial wound with redness

Answer: (A)

Burn depth is defined by how many skin layers are destroyed. A third-degree burn is a full-thickness injury, meaning all skin layers are damaged and often underlying tissue is involved. The classic appearance is dry, leathery skin that may be white, tan, brown, or charred in color. Because the nerve endings are destroyed, these burns can be numb despite extensive tissue damage. The other descriptions fit shallower burns: partial thickness burns are typically moist and blistered, while superficial burns are red and non-blistered. A subdermal description implies damage beyond the skin layers into deeper tissues, which is not the standard third-degree definition. Thus, the dry, leathery, and charred full-thickness description best defines a third-degree burn.