Preventing Frostbite

With a little planning and preparation, you can protect your skin and keep frostbite from developing in the first place. Here's how:

Wear fabrics specially made for cold or wet weather. Loosely woven bulky wool and acrylics trap air between your body and the elements, which is the key to staying warm and dry. Look for clothing made with Thinsulate, Hollofil, Gore-Tex, or other insulating materials.

Keep your head covered. The old wives were on target with this one. You can lose a significant amount of body heat from the neck up. This is due to the disproportionately large amount of blood circulating there. Wearing a wool hat, scarf, and earmuffs will help keep your whole body warm, all the way down to your toes.

Layer, layer, layer. Keep your hands and feet toasty with polypropylene liners, followed by down mittens and wool socks, respectively. Wear a lightweight shirt, then a heavier weight one over it, covered by a sweatshirt or wool sweater, and, finally, a water-resistant windbreaker. Boots with separate, removable inner liners of felt or Gore-Tex are also a good idea. Experts agree that clothing and footwear should not be tight. Too-tight cuffs and boots, for instance, can decrease circulation to the extremities. Your boots should be just roomy enough to let you move your toes, even if you're wearing an extra pair of socks.

Put sandwich bags in your boots. The bags act as a barrier to keep your feet dry if your boots should get wet.

Give your hands a spin. If your fingers start to tingle, whirl your hands round and round at the wrist, which will increase blood circulation to your chilled fingers.

Eat right and get plenty of rest. Poor nutrition and fatigue can exacerbate the problem by lowering your resistance and hindering circulation, making you more prone to frostbite. If you engage in physical activity in the cold, eat foods with complex carbohydrates and fats, such as whole-wheat pasta and nuts, for long-lasting energy, and simple sugars, such as candy, for quick energy boosts.

Avoid alcohol. Alcoholic beverages can impair your awareness of how cold you actually are. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which can contribute to dehydration. And, perhaps most importantly, alcohol causes your body to lose heat more quickly.

Be aware that medicines play a role. Like alcohol, some medications can impair judgment, making you unaware that you are turning into an ice sculpture. Be especially wary of tranquilizers, sleep aids, and antihistamines, but bear in mind that many drugs can influence your ability to think clearly; check the label or ask your pharmacist to find out if any medication you are taking could have this effect.

Do not smoke. Some people light up when they're cold thinking it's going to make them warmer. The truth is that smoking constricts the blood vessels and decreases circulation to the extremities, which is why smokers are at higher risk for frostbite.

Don't touch metal or fuel. Coming in contact with these in the cold can cause instantaneous frostbite, causing you to stick right to them. If this should happen, pour warm water (again, at about 104 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit) over the injury site to loosen it.

If stranded on a wintry day, stay with your car. This is your best bet, unless, of course, you are in immediate danger or you can seek help very close by. Struggling through a storm may leave you fatigued and dehydrated; both conditions predispose you to frostbite and hypothermia. You also run the risk of getting lost. Furthermore, rescue crews can more easily spot a vehicle than a person in distress. So stay put.

Always keep emergency supplies in the car. In addition to a first-aid kit and tools for repairing minor problems such as flat tires, these supplies should include protection for you. Stuff a box with a blanket or two, an extra pair of gloves, a hat, boots, earmuffs, a sweater for everyone who will be traveling, candles, matches, bottled water, and high-energy snacks. Hot packs used by hunters may also come in handy.

With these tips for frostbite prevention and treatment, you'll be able to keep old Jack Frost at bay.



This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.