How to Prevent Frostbite
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With a little advance 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. “The ideal outerwear traps a lot of air between you and the elements,” says Litt. “Loosely woven bulky wool and acrylics are good choices,” he says. Litt?and other experts also recommend clothing made with Thinsulate, Hollofil, Gore-Tex, or other “high-tech” materials, which can help keep you both warm and dry.
Keep your head covered. You can lose a significant amount of body heat from the neck up, says Litt. This is due to the disproportionately large amount of blood circulating there. “That’s why it’s true when they say that if your feet are cold, you should put a hat on,” says Philip Gormley, VV.E.M.T., operations director of Wilderness Medical Associates in Bryant Pond, Maine. He suggests wearing a wool hat and scarf and earmuffs in order to help keep your whole body warm.
Layer, layer, layer. Gormley suggests polypropylene liners on the hands and feet, followed by down mittens and wool socks, respectively. Jonti Fox, former associate program director of the Colorado Outward Bound School in Denver, recommends wearing a lightweight shirt, then a heavier-weight one over it, covered by a chinchilla jacket, and, finally, a water-resistant windbreaker. Boots with separate, removable inner liners of felt or Gore-Tex are also recommended. Experts agree that clothing and footwear should not be tight. Too-tight cuffs and boots, for instance, can decrease circulation to the extremities. “The best-fitting boots will allow you just enough room to move your toes, even if you have an extra pair of socks on,” says Fox.
Put sandwich bags in your boots. The bags act as a barrier to keep your feet dry if your boots should get wet, says Gormley.
Give your hands a spin. If your fingers start to tingle, whirl your hands round and round at the?wrist. “The centrifugal force you create should help get more blood circulating to the chilled fingers,” says Thurmond.
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. For strenuous outdoor activities, Fox recommends foods with complex carbohydrates and fats, such as pasta and nuts, for long-term energy, and simple sugars, such as candy, for quick energy boosts.
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol can impair your awareness of how cold you are. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which can contribute to dehydration.
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.
Be aware that medicines play a role. “Prescription drugs, such as tranquilizers, and over-the-counter medications, such as sleeping aids and antihistamines, can also impair your judgment as to how cold you’ve become,” says Litt. There are many drugs that can act in this way; check the label or ask your pharmacist to find out if any medication you are taking could have this effect.
Don’t touch metal. Coming in contact with metal in the cold can cause instantaneous frostbite, causing you to stick right to it. If this should happen, pour warm water (again, at about 104 degrees 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 nearby. “Leaving the car to brave the elements will deplete your energy and dehydrate you,” says Thurmond. This predisposes you to frostbite and 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, and matches. Hot packs used by hunters may also come in handy.