# Frostbite - how to avoid?



## Matriska (3 Mar 2018)

Frostbite - how to avoid it in any weather and circumstance?

Can someone please sum up all the things one have to know and need to take care of in order to never get frostbite?


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## mariomike (3 Mar 2018)

Matriska said:
			
		

> Frostbite - how to avoid it in any weather and circumstance?
> 
> Can someone please sum up all the things one have to know and need to take care of in order to never get frostbite?



How to Prevent Frostbite
https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/understanding-frostbite-prevention#1

How to prevent frostbite
https://www.google.ca/search?dcr=0&ei=MKGaWveJK4GIsQWvsKPADA&q=prevent+frostbite&oq=prevent+frostbite&gs_l=psy-ab.12...0.0.0.4338.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.Wl-KdoLj08o

How to treat frostbite
https://www.google.ca/search?dcr=0&ei=1aGaWqukJIKOsQW84YWABA&q=treat+frostbite&oq=treat+frostbite&gs_l=psy-ab.12...0.0.0.36080.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.uNY5NFrXAhM


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## medicineman (3 Mar 2018)

Wear mittens not gloves, protect your face/ears from wind - balaclava, neck gaiter, hoods, your touque(s) - change socks regularly, regular buddy checks.

MM


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## Blackadder1916 (3 Mar 2018)

By limiting the scope to "frostbite", individuals tend to focus on that particular injury and pay the most attention to ears, cheeks and nose - the parts that tend to be uncovered (at least temporarily) even in cold weather.  The full range of "Cold Wet Injuries" (CWIs) and their prevention should be terminology that you use.  It doesn't have to be below freezing for serious CWIs to occur.

https://phc.amedd.army.mil/PHC%20Resource%20Library/ColdWeatherInjuries_FS_12-004-0915.pdf


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## MedCorps (3 Mar 2018)

And use great care around skin and petrol (especially naphtha) in extreme cold environments.  Th cold plus the evaporation is a brutal combination. 

MC


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## ModlrMike (3 Mar 2018)

Matriska said:
			
		

> Can someone please sum up all the things one have to know and need to take care of in order to never get frostbite?



I'm gonna go with.... stay indoors and drink rum.


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## dapaterson (3 Mar 2018)

ModlrMike said:
			
		

> I'm gonna go with.... stay indoors and drink rum.



Does staying indoors and drinking beer work as well?

Or is this an area that requires more research?  Perhaps involving indoors / outdoors in different locations?  For example, would sitting on a beach in Cuba drinking rum also avoid frostbite?


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## ModlrMike (3 Mar 2018)

The ability to reproduce results is the cornerstone of science. I look forward to analyzing your data.


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## Eye In The Sky (3 Mar 2018)

This is a pretty broad subj when you put it "in any circumstance"...

- dress for the weather
- loose and layered clothing.  keep the baselayer dry at all costs, sweat can equal death
- pay attention to both the temp and wind chill
- if there is a wind, work facing with your back to the wind, hood up
- wear good mitts, big enough that you can wear liner or similar gloves inside so that when you need to work without mitts, you don't expose your fingers to the temp
- keep moving to stay warm
- look at the obvious places for frostnip starting (nose, cheeks, fingers, toes, etc)
- boots.  never lace them tight if at all possible, tight reduces the insulation by reducing both circulation and trapped air.

Like I said...pretty broad;  how you dress, what you do, in what order varies from the Boreal forest to the high arctic.  shelter trumps a heat source in the arctic, the extreme cold will hurt you/cause frostbite extremely quickly because of the extreme wind chill with even a 4-10km/hr wind.


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## dapaterson (3 Mar 2018)

ModlrMike said:
			
		

> The ability to reproduce results is the cornerstone of science. I look forward to analyzing your data.



You may be needed as part of the control group.   I'll have to ask you to continue your own research, drinking rum, indoors and outdoors, in a variety of climates.


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