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Reptiles (and some other animals) have a very bizarre response to "heat" that science doesn't fully understand. They'll behaviourally thermoregulate, in some cases with some extremely tight tolerances: meaning they'll heat up via basking to a point, and will move away from the basking source when they get too warm, go back when they start cooling down. However, it is often seen where a reptile comes into direct contact with an extremely hot object that they won't move away and will actually sit there and continue to burn. Mammals we know have a reflex arc wherein even if we were brain damaged, we'd jerk the affected area away from the offending source, but reptiles appear to lack both this reflex in response to heat, but other mechanisms that would kick in following with continued exposure to such heat. A colleague of mine does research in thermoregulation and is hoping to some day address this very phenomenon.

So, to answer your questions, they basically have to be in direct contact (or similar) for this kind of burn to present itself. However, also unlike in us, thermal burns in reptiles usually take a much longer period of time to present themselves. We touch something too hot, either we develop a blister within minutes/hours, or the skin typically discolours immediately (if dead). I had a case last year where one of my Ctenosaura similis got out of her enclosure and was impossible to catch for a few days. I eventually did recapture her, put her back, and at first she seemed fine (if highly unimpressed). Within a couple of days I noticed she wasn't using one of her arms, and suspected maybe she had broken it or dislocated it, but upon inspection could not see either of these as being the case, so I thought maybe a sprain. Then over the next week a wound appeared to develop over the elbow. Then over the next week her whole arm discoloured as well as all down her left flank. Then the following week this hardened and the knees started to bubble. Basically, long story short, it took about a month to evidence that this poor thing had clearly snuggled up against the basking light on top (but outside) her enclosure while she was having her free run. For awhile I was concerned I was going to have to amputate the arm and was scared that due to the extensive nature of the burn on the arm and the extensive area affected all over her body that she might have succeeded in achieving a 4th degree burn (thermal damage to internal organs), but I was lucky, damage was much less although I did have to excise muscle mass from the arm. She's fully recovered now and has about ~80% usage of the arm.

As for whether this will have permanent on your tegu's looks, it is hard to say. I've seen cases where scarring was permanent and readily apparent, and then with the case I described above, I have been amazed at how well the affected area has healed and how little scarring there is in relation to how badly burned she was. For your case, I recommend daily cleaning and debriding of the wound, application of suitable antibiotics, and keeping her well hydrated. Considering the location, I doubt there's any reliable means to cover the wound to prevent dirt getting to the area while also allowing the tissue to breathe. Best of luck.