Frostbite

What is Frostbite?

• A thermal injury to the skin resulting from prolonged exposure to moderate cold or brief exposure to extreme cold.

• Ice crystals form in and around skin cells due to decreased blood supply

• Typically hands, feet, nose, ears, and cheeks.

Signs and Symptoms

• Pain• Numbness• Prickly sensations • Firm, whitened skin

areas • Peeling or blistering

•Itching

•Swelling

•Mottled (blotchy) skin

•Hard, glossy, grayish, yellow skin

Frostnip or Frostbite?

• 1st degree: Frostnip. Numbness and whitening of the skin. Rewarm promptly.

• 2nd degree: Superficial frostbite. Outer skin hard and frozen but tissue underneath has normal resilience.

• 3rd degree: Deep frostbite. Skin is white or blotchy and blue. Skin and tissue underneath is hard and very cold.

Prevention

• Keep skin covered• Stay warm and dry• NEVER accept numbness

Treatment

• PREVENTION• Gently rewarm with another warm body,

warm clothing, or lukewarm water• Keep the injured area warm!• Wrap blisters or peeling skin with sterile

gauze.

Treatment No-no’s

• DO NOT rewarm frostbite if refreezing is possible

• DO NOT rub• DO NOT use direct heat