Though most view a minor first-degree burn as a superficial inconvenience, the possibility of infection may justify medical attention, though rarely more than one visit. Second Degree Burns. The skin layer beneath the epidermis is called the “dermis.” It is the area that produces what eventually becomes the epidermis. When the dermis is burned – even slightly – it becomes a second degree (or partial thickness) burn. Even slight burns of this type can be quite painful.