How to Avoid Frostbite
If you or your children must be outdoors in cold weather, whether by choice or necessity, it's very important that you take steps to avoid frostbite. A mild case of frostbite isn't really dangerous, but it can be annoying. However, a bad case of frostbite can cause serious problems.
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Instructions
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Dress in layers. Layers of lighter clothing tend to keep you warmer that one heavy layer. Also, if activity causes you to warm up and start to perspire, you can shed layers as needed. You want to minimize perspiration while out in the cold, because it cools your body and in turn reduces circulation to the places that are most susceptible to frostbite, such as your fingers and toes.
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Wear proper clothing. Obviously you should choose warm clothing when going outdoors, but there are other factors to consider. Clothing should not be too tight, as tight clothing can reduce circulation, which in turn will reduce natural body heat.
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Cover your head and hands. A large amount of body heat is lost through the head. Wearing a warm hat will help prevent this heat loss, which means your whole body will stay warmer. Fingers are especially prone to frostbite, so it is very important to protect them by wearing warm gloves or mittens.
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Eat something healthy before going outside. Digesting the food will create some internal body heat. Bring along a thermos of hot cocoa or another hot beverage. When you're outside and start to get cold, drinking hot beverages can help warm you up.
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Try not to stay outside too long at a time, especially if the temperature is really cold. Take breaks to go inside every now and then to warm up and rest.
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Stay active. Keeping your body in motion is one of the best ways to avoid frostbite. Keep moving, but not so much that you become overly tired—fatigue reduces the body's ability to generate heat.
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Tips & Warnings
If your outdoor activities take you very far from home, be sure to take some extra clothing in case you need to change. It is imperative that you do not stay out in the cold wearing wet clothing, because that can cause frostbite to occur more quickly than it normally would.
If you have areas on your body that have been frostbitten in the past, take extra care to protect those areas. Once an area has experienced frostbite, that area is more susceptible to having it happen again.
