Treatment of burn injuries of the head and neck can be divided into acute and chronic stages. The acute phase consists of physiologic resuscitation of the patient and early care of the burn wound. The chronic stage begins from completion of wound coverage until the wound has matured. A major advance in the care of the patient with head and neck burns has been the realization that clinical application of exercise, traction, and pressure can reduce the development of contractures and hypertrophic scarring. Once the burn scars mature, the residual scar deformity can be improved by reconstructive surgical procedures.