When should a second degree burn be exposed to air?

Resufaced: When the skin loss has resurfaced, threat of infection is reduced.

It depends: Superficial second degree burns can be exposed to air fairly soon. Deeper burns with blisters should be protected until all of the blisters have been decompressed. All burns should be coated with thin film of antibiotic ointment or a white cream called silvadene (silver sulfadiazine) until the skin is fully healed.