Which of the following types of burn damages the entire dermis but does not cause pain?

A third-degree burn is characterized by the damage to the entire thickness of the dermis as well as the epidermis, which means it destroys nerve endings in the affected area. This lack of nerve endings contributes to the absence of pain in the burned area, even though the injury is very severe.

The skin may appear white, charred, or leathery due to the extensive damage, but because all sensory nerves are affected, the patient may not react to painful stimuli in that region. While the damage is profound and can lead to complications, including the need for skin grafts due to loss of skin integrity, the absence of pain is a significant characteristic of third-degree burns.

In contrast, first-degree burns typically affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and cause pain, redness, and swelling. Second-degree burns damage both the epidermis and part of the dermis, leading to pain, swelling, and blisters. Fourth-degree burns extend beyond the dermis into underlying tissues such as fat, muscle, or bone and can also be painless due to extensive nerve damage, but this option is less relevant here as the question specifically mentions damage to the entire dermis.