the body has evolved well .. Frostbite: 10 Things You Didn't Know
January 18, 2008
If you've ever seen (or had) a case of severely frostbitten fingers or toes, you don't need to be told to wear suitable clothing in cold temperatures.
But here are 10 things you might not have known about frostbite, or damage to the skin due to extreme cold, compliments of Russ Horowitz, a pediatric emergency room physician at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
1. IT'S NOT THE COLD. "Despite what you might think, frostbite is not about your body getting assaulted by cold," Horowitz said. "Instead, it is about the loss of heat. Frostbite happens when your body can't protect itself from this heat loss."
2. BREATHE EASY. I asked whether breathing cold air could hurt the lungs. "You can freeze lots of things but your lungs are not one of them," he said. (Phew!) "Your body is uniquely prepared for this. Your nose and throat warms and moisturizes the air as you breath it in. Also, the blood circulating through your lungs keeps them warm enough not to freeze. That doesn’t mean that breathing cold air feels good." But it won't make the lungs turn black and fall off, which is reassuring.
3. TIME IS CRUCIAL. Horowitz said the minimum exposure time depends onfactors such as: temperature, wind chill factor, age of the child, part of the body exposed, and dampness. "For example, at 0 degrees Fahrenheit with a breeze, skin can freeze in 10 minutes. If it were wet out or if we were talking about a child, this could happen sooner. If the temperature increases slightly (like to say 20 degrees), it could take up to 30 minutes even with a 60 mile per hour wind."
4. UM, TONGUES? I also (embarrassingly enough) asked whether tongues could get frostbitten. "Don’t lick any metal poles," he said. "Metal transmits the cold rather well ,so what you’ve seen in the movies is true. Your tongue will freeze to the pole quickly as wet skin cools faster than dry skin."
5. REPEAT FACTOR. "If you develop frostbite once, you are more likely to get it again in that spot."
6. SIT DOWN. If necessary, you can walk on frozen feet, but once they begin to thaw, take a load off. "Never massage an area with frostbite as this can cause pain and make it worse."
[ AH! that's right, someone in that truck/bus stop did say to the lady, "Don't massage his hands, Just hold them." ]
7. LAYERS. "Parents should dress their children in layers, not just one set of heavy clothes. The air pockets between the layers will keep them warmer [ like between a horse's hair and their skin, thks DD .. lol ] prevent sweating. Mittens are better than gloves and make sure the head is covered as that is where most heat is lost."
8. BABIES CAN'T SHIVER. "Babies are more susceptible to frostbite than others. They have a higher body surface area (due to all of those cute fat rolls) but they have little fat under their skin. So, they lose heat through their skin quicker and they are not able to shiver -- one of your body’s ways of producing heat."
9. DON'T GET DEHYDRATED. Parents who know they are going to be out in the cold should carry drinks for their child. "A child who becomes dehydrated is more likely to get frostbite," Horowitz said. (Adults should know that smoking and taking beta-blockers, which decreases the flow of blood to the skin, also makes people more succeptible.)
10. SNACK! Low blood sugar can also contribute to frostbite so make sure to bring plenty of snacks.
Posted at 09:31:25 AM in Frostbite, Ten Things You Didn't Know, Well tips
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