What Is Frostbite and How to Avoid It
We've all heard of frostbite but probably never thought we'd need to know much about it.
If you're hiking in cooler weather there are some important things you should know to help prevent getting frostbite yourself.
Frostbite is simply damage done to the skin and sometimes other tissues in the body caused by extreme cold temperatures that fall below the skin's freezing point.
Frostbite generally occurs to body parts that are furthest away from the heart and are more exposed to the air.
There are four stages to frostbite, each with larger degrees of damage.
The first degree is often called Frostnip and generally affects the surface of the skin only.
Frostnip can cause mild itching and pain to the area and the affected skin may develop patches of white, yellow or red colours that become numb to the touch.
There is usually no permanent damage and the treatment for frostnip is best done with skin to skin contact or by exposing the affected area to warm water.
Never rub affected areas or use hot water.
The second stage of frostbite occurs if the freezing is allowed to continue beyond the frostnip stage.
This is when the skin can freeze and becomes hard.
This can lead to blisters within a couple of days.
Skin that has been allowed to become frostbitten is more susceptible to becoming frostbitten again in the future which makes it even more important to avoid frostbite in the first place.
The third and fourth stages of frostbite are the worst and most damaging.
At this point the freezing has been allowed to continue and the freezing has taken place not just in the skin but also in the muscles, blood vessels, tendons and nerves.
The skin becomes hard, waxy and white.
It is numb and will stay dented for a few seconds if poked.
There will be a general loss of feeling and this is the stage that can lead to amputation if the area becomes infected.
Some things to remember: Your body will do its best to protect your core when it becomes chilled.
That means that your body will naturally constrict blood flow to your extremities.
Make sure that the clothing and footwear you have on is not too tight and does not constrict blood flow to any of your body parts such as your hands and feet.
Do not pop any blisters that have resulted from frostbite.
Knowing what the different stages of frostbite are and doing your best to prevent getting frostbite yourself will make you a better hiker and keep you from damaging any fingers and toes! Happy Hiking!
If you're hiking in cooler weather there are some important things you should know to help prevent getting frostbite yourself.
Frostbite is simply damage done to the skin and sometimes other tissues in the body caused by extreme cold temperatures that fall below the skin's freezing point.
Frostbite generally occurs to body parts that are furthest away from the heart and are more exposed to the air.
There are four stages to frostbite, each with larger degrees of damage.
The first degree is often called Frostnip and generally affects the surface of the skin only.
Frostnip can cause mild itching and pain to the area and the affected skin may develop patches of white, yellow or red colours that become numb to the touch.
There is usually no permanent damage and the treatment for frostnip is best done with skin to skin contact or by exposing the affected area to warm water.
Never rub affected areas or use hot water.
The second stage of frostbite occurs if the freezing is allowed to continue beyond the frostnip stage.
This is when the skin can freeze and becomes hard.
This can lead to blisters within a couple of days.
Skin that has been allowed to become frostbitten is more susceptible to becoming frostbitten again in the future which makes it even more important to avoid frostbite in the first place.
The third and fourth stages of frostbite are the worst and most damaging.
At this point the freezing has been allowed to continue and the freezing has taken place not just in the skin but also in the muscles, blood vessels, tendons and nerves.
The skin becomes hard, waxy and white.
It is numb and will stay dented for a few seconds if poked.
There will be a general loss of feeling and this is the stage that can lead to amputation if the area becomes infected.
Some things to remember: Your body will do its best to protect your core when it becomes chilled.
That means that your body will naturally constrict blood flow to your extremities.
Make sure that the clothing and footwear you have on is not too tight and does not constrict blood flow to any of your body parts such as your hands and feet.
Do not pop any blisters that have resulted from frostbite.
Knowing what the different stages of frostbite are and doing your best to prevent getting frostbite yourself will make you a better hiker and keep you from damaging any fingers and toes! Happy Hiking!
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