Freezing skin?

The correct answer to our quiz is C. Frostbite describes the condition where the skin and the tissues underneath it are frozen.

Frostbite occurs after prolonged exposure to the cold and is exacerbated by windchill and humidity. It most commonly affects the feet, hands, nose, ears and face. Like a burn, frostbite is rated by degrees, beginning with first-degree, which is defined as partial freezing of the outer layers of skin, and concluding with fourth-degree, which occurs when all layers of skin and muscles and tendons are frozen. Symptoms worsen with the degree of damage, but include skin discoloration, swelling, tingling or stinging, numbness followed by throbbing pain and blistering. The skin feels hard except with fourth-degree frostbite in which it feels rubbery.

If you suspect you have frostbite, you should seek medical care immediately. Treatment will include rewarming the affected area using warm water and removing blisters. Do not massage a frostbitten area of skin because massage can actually cause greater damage. Permanent damage from frostbite can be assessed after several weeks. Amputation occurs only in the most extreme cases where all the tissue is dead.

As for frostnip and trench foot….Frostnip may cause temporary skin discoloration and some numbness, but normal feeling returns with rewarming and there is no permanent damage. Trench foot derived its name during World War I when troops stood in cold, wet trenches. Symptoms of trench foot are similar to frostnip and frostbite, but the skin never becomes frozen and the damage occurs over several days.

And last of all…hypothermia has to do with body temperature and occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it.

All of these conditions can be prevented by limiting exposure to cold temperatures and wearing appropriate clothing. If you are going to be in the cold for an extended time, wear layered, well insulated clothing, wear mittens rather than gloves, eat and drink plenty of food and water. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and tobacco. Keep hands and feet dry. And avoid overexertion and sweating, which promotes heat loss.

Resources:

WebMD.com and MEDLINEplus Medical Encyclopedia have illustrations and detailed descriptions of frostbite.

Read an article on frostbite by C. Crawford Mechem, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania.

January 18, 2003