How to Recognize the Stages of Frostbite and When to Seek Help
When the temperature is low and you are outside, your fingers quickly become cold and stiff. Depending on the weather and the duration of exposure, they may become numb or red. But is this a normal reaction to cold or the onset of frostbite?
This is a great question, and one that isn’t always answered (at least not very clearly) in many frostbite safety guides. This is because they often only mention the color and appearance of the skin, such as its pallor (yellow or white), waxy and shiny skin.
But what if your skin is always pale and waxy? Or are you not sure what is considered “pale” in relation to your normal skin color? That’s when you look for other signs of frostbite, which are broken down into stages. Here’s what you need to know.
What is frostbite?
Frostbite is more than just feeling cold: it is an injury that can permanently damage body tissues, especially the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers or toes.
According to the Cleveland Clinic , single-digit (Fahrenheit) temperatures are cold enough to cause frostbite, and the colder it is outside, the faster frostbite can set in. take no more than half an hour.
Frostbite stages
There are three stages of frostbite: frostbite, superficial frostbite, and deep frostbite, and each has its own signs and symptoms.
Hellebore
The difficulty with frostbite is that you may not notice any signs at all, or you may simply assume that it is to be expected in cold weather. Frostbite symptoms may include redness or pale white skin and/or feeling cold, numb or tingly. These are your body’s warning signals to warm up.
After rewarming the frostbitten skin, small red bumps called “chills” may form, but they usually go away on their own. Frostnip does not deal permanent damage.
Superficial frostbite
Superficial frostbite includes all of the above symptoms, except that instead of feeling cold, your skin may feel warm. This may seem like a good sign, but the reality is that the water in your skin is slowly freezing and turning into ice crystals . Your skin may become hard, waxy and/or shiny; you may also have difficulty moving due to muscle and joint stiffness, as well as clumsiness and/or loss of coordination.
After warming the skin with superficial frostbite, the areas may become purple or blue and painful (like a bruise), as well as burns. Or, if patches of skin are still red, they may begin to peel and feel like sunburn . This is a signal to seek immediate medical attention. Finally, fluid-filled blisters may appear after 12 to 36 hours.
deep frostbite
At this point , complete numbness usually sets in, and the movements and coordination of the person deteriorate significantly. The skin may become white or bluish-gray.
Large blisters will likely appear a day or two after the skin is reheated. Finally, frostbite skin becomes hard and black and either falls off on its own or must be surgically removed.
When to ask for help
According to the Mayo Clinic , anything beyond frostbite, i.e. superficial or deep frostbite, requires professional medical attention, especially if any of these symptoms are present:
- Hard, cold, patchy skin
- Increased pain, swelling, inflammation, or discharge in the area affected by frostbite.
- Heat
- Symptoms of hypothermia (severe shivering, slurred speech, drowsiness, and incoordination)
- New unexplained symptoms
But this is not a situation where you can wait for medical help and hope for the best. Instead, follow these guidelines for treating frostbite until you can see a professional .