How to Recover From Frostbite

Frostbite is a serious condition which occurs when the skin and underlying tissues literally freeze. Frostbite is caused by exposure to cold and is exacerbated by wind chill, wetness and inadequate blood circulation. If you’ll be spending time in cold weather, dress in loose layers of warm clothes, taking care to ensure your hands, feet, face and ears are covered. If you do get frostbite, fast treatment is essential. If you delay the recovery process, deep damage can lead to infection, sometimes necessitating amputation.

Things You'll Need

• Warm area
• Warm water
• Sterile cloth
• Dry clothing

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Instructions

• 1

  Assess the frostbite. Frostnip is the first stage of frostbite and is characterized by a tingling feeling and whitish color in the affected areas. The second stage, superficial frostbite, often causes the skin to blister and turn a gray or yellow color. Deep frostbite is the final stage. In it, the skin will look hard and white with blister formation.

• 2

  Move around if you suspect you have frostnip. Flex your toes and fingers, helping to circulate blood in them. Swing your arms in a circular motion and walk briskly to get the blood moving. Sometimes movement is enough to reverse frostnip.

• 3

  Go to a warm area. If you have superficial or deep frostbite, it's imperative to get out of the cold. If you are outdoors and a warm area is not available, find shelter from the wind until help arrives.

• 4

  Remove wet clothing and tight items. Wet clothing greatly encourages the onset and worsening of frostbite. Tight clothing, watches, headbands and socks should also be removed as they inhibit circulation.

• 5

  Immerse the frostbitten area in warm or tepid water. Do not use hot water as this will be a shock to the system and potentially damage the area. Remain in the water for 20 minutes. If the area cannot be immersed in water easily, soak a cloth in warm water and apply it to the body part.

• 6

  Wrap the area in sterile cloth. If the fingers or toes have frostbite, wrap each one individually.

• 7

  Cover the area with warm blankets and dry clothing. This will aid a gradual re-warming process.

• 8

  Avoid warming the frostbitten area if you suspect it could refreeze. Doing so can cause even more damage to the nerves and tissues in the area. Wait until you are in a protected area to begin the warming process.

• 9

  Seek professional medical attention. Even if you don't think the frostbite was severe, it's important to be assessed by a doctor. Since frostbite freezes nerves, you can't feel pain while they are frozen, therefore you might not be aware of the severity of the condition.