While medical advances have improved survival for many burn victims, severe burns, especially those covering large areas or involving inhalation injury, still carry a very real risk of death. The burn survival rate by age, the total body surface area burned, and complications like sepsis all play a role in whether a patient survives.

Whether from a curling iron, a hot pan, or spending too much time in the sun, burns are some of the most common injuries to the skin. How serious are most burn injuries?

In most cases, these burns are minor and heal on their own. Unfortunately, some can be more serious, resulting in lasting pain, scarring, and even life-threatening complications.

Here is what you need to know about the severity of these injuries and the outlook for victims.

Everyone has burned themselves on something in their life, pulling something out of a hot oven, touching a frayed electrical cord, or anything in between. Most of the time, small burns fade after a few hours to a few days, but sometimes burns are more severe and leave a permanent reminder of the injury.

Electrical burns can happen in a variety of ways and are usually accidental and easily preventable. This type of injury usually causes burns and scarring, but not always. If you’ve suffered from an electrical injury, even if you don’t see any external burns, it may be a good idea to get yourself checked out by a doctor.