How to Prevent Frostbite

When it's cold enough, skin can freeze, resulting in frostbite. Frostbite not only is painful but can result in loss of fingers and toes, even arms and legs, so it's best to prevent frostbite in the first place.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Athletic Socks
• Bottled Water
• First Aid Kits
• Athletic Gear
• Camp-stove Fuels
• Camping Cookwares
• Camping Gear
• Camping Stoves

1. Recognize that by venturing out into the cold, you are risking frostbite. Wind and wetness will drain your body of heat'especially your frost-bite-prone extremities'with astonishing speed. Stay mindful of the risk.

2. Keep a close eye on the weather wherever you go into the wilderness, and adjust your plans as necessary to avoid the risk of frostbite. Frostbite can strike in any season, especially in the high country.

3. Bring along warm clothing when going outdoors: an inner wicking layer, a middle insulating layer and an outer wind- and water-resistant layer for both your upper and lower body. Be sure you also have gloves or mittens (mittens are better), a hat, and wool or thick fleece socks.

4. Make sure you have clothing that will not lose its insulating properties when wet. The primary offender is cotton; wool is much better, as are many kinds of synthetic fleece.

5. Stay hydrated. Dehydration is a predisposing condition for frostbite and hypothermia.

6. Eat plenty of food, especially carbohydrates, which are quick to digest and easy for your metabolism to turn into heat. Eat small amounts frequently rather than large amounts infrequently.

7. Set a reasonable pace when engaging in vigorous activities. Exhaustion can make treatment and even recognition of frostbite more difficult.

8. Stop and warm your feet or hands if they start to feel numb; this is an early warning of frostbite.

9. Turn back and seek shelter if the weather turns nasty, especially if you encounter snow, rain and/or strong winds.

Tips & Warnings

• Keeping your entire body warm will aid in keeping your extremities warm. A sage bit of advice goes: If your feet are cold, put on a sweater.

• When layering your clothing, make sure each layer is larger than the layer it's on top of: There should be about 1/4 inch of air space between each layer.

• Pack a small camp stove, along with fuel and at least one pot, in case another injury is involved and you can't move the frostbitten person. You may have to prepare warm liquids for him or her.

• If your feet or hands feel cold, it may be the first step on a journey to frostbite. Stop and rewarm them before they go numb.

• Avoid tight-fitting clothing - including footwear - which might impair circulation.

• Avoid alcohol, which could contribute to dehydration and impair judgment, as well as caffeine and nicotine, which constrict blood vessels and therefore reduce the blood supply to extremities.

• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.