Frost bite First Aid

The signs of, and treament for, Frost bite

Frostbite is when your skin literally freezes. It is most occmong on the bits that stick out and will chill faster: fingers, toes, nose, ears, chin, and also cheeks (thin walls of flesh).

The rampant cell necrosis can cause thee areas—and the underlying flesh—to die compeltely and you can lose those parts of your body.

There is first aid for frostbite (and its milder, early-stage cousin, frostnip), but either way you nee to get to the hospital as soon as possible for further treatment.

BUT FIRST: Check for hypothermia. If you are cold enough to get frostbite you might also be entering hypothermia, which is of far greater concern as it can kill you. The first rule of first aid triage is to treat the most life-threatening injury first. Better to lose a few fingers than your life.

How to avoid Frostbite

• Protect suceptible, exposed areas of skin when outdoors in the cold. Wear mittens or gloves, a hat, and some kind of face protection.
• Wear warm, dry socks and carry several spares. Swap out as needed.
• Layer in warm, dry clothing.
• Bring spare mittens or gloves so you can swap out wet ones.
• Stay out of the wind.
• Try to avoid situations that restrict blood circulation: Sitting in tight, cramped positions; wearing overly tight boots or clothing; drinking alcohol.

Signs of Frostbite

• Skin of an odd color (pale, bright red, or yellowish-gray) and very cold, hard, and waxy.
• Prikly pins and needles followed by numbness.
• Pain and blisters (when severe).
• Blackened or gangrenous skin (when very severe).

How to treat Frostbite

• Protect the skin from any more exposure. Put on gloves and facemasks if you have them. Tuck hands into armpits. Cover exposed face with (dry) gloved hands.
• DO NOT RUB OR MASSAGE THE SKIN. Yes, rubbing skin that is merely cold warms it up; but with frostbitten skin, the friction will just cause more damage.
• DO NOT RUB IT WITH SNOW. Not that you would think to do so, but this is an old (utterly false) remedy you may have heard of or seen in some survivial movie.
• DO NOT POP OR DISTRUB ANY BLISTERS.
• Try not to walk on frostbitten feet if you can.
• Get out of the cold.
• Remove wet clothes (once safely out of the cold and in a warm, dry place).
• If you are sure you do not run the risk of refreezing the affected areas, go ahead and thaw them. (If the affected areas are likely to be refrozen—if you have to hike in a blizzard—do not attempt to thaw as refreezing after a thaw will only makes things even worse.)
• Warm the skin SLOWLY with warm—NOT HOT—water. The ideal temperature used in hospitals is 104–108 F, but you're unlilkely to be carrying an accurate thermometer, so just test it by dipping in an unaffected body part (ideally, of another person). Soak for 15-30 minutes, circulating the water and rewarming it as necessary.
• DO NOT USE ANY DIRECT HEAT. Do not use a stove, fireplace, heating pad or anything else. The skin is so numb it has no feeling, and the frostbite victim can easily get burned.
• Wrap the affected area(s) in dry, sterile bandages (seperating any fingers or toes).
• Give pain medication.
• Seek emergency help.
• As the skin thaws it will turn red, tingle, and burn. This is uncomfortable, but a good sign, as it means the underlying blood vessels were—at least largely—undamaged, which means you may recover. If, however, a great deal of numbness or pain remains or blisters develop, get crackng on that emergency medical attention.

Related pages

• Wilderness first aid
• Skills
• The 10 essentials
• The 7 survival priorities
• Leave No Trace principals
• Packing lists
• Useful links (including where to get gear)
• Troop calendar (upcoming trips)
• The trips program