What Causes Frostbite?

With winter soon approaching, you're likely already thinking about the dreaded cold and snow. Besides the threat colder temperatures pose to the roadways, and thus car accidents, the temperature itself is just as deadly as the elements it causes. Too often, there are families and individuals who end up freezing to death every year. Typically, this is due to the fact their heating unit stopped working in the middle of a rather frigid night. Older men and women, especially, are prone to possible death due to freezing. Frostbite is a sure sign you've received some damage from the cold. It's also far easier to develop than you might initially realize. To make sure you stave off the chances of developing frostbite this winter, watch out for these causes of frostbite.

Prolonged Exposure To Cold Weather

Obviously, it stands to reason the longer you are exposed to cold weather, the more likely it is you are going to develop frostbite. It works with the same logic that if you stand under a hot sun for a long enough period, you're likely going to get a sunburn, or perhaps even skin cancer if you're not wearing sunscreen and do this repeatedly. If you tend to walk to get to work, school, or it's just part of your exercise regime, prolonged exposure to cold weather makes you more susceptible to developing frostbite, especially the longer you remain exposed to cold weather.

You may start to feel numb or prickly against your skin. This is especially true in areas exposed to the cold weather directly. Your body temperature drops significantly when you're outside in the cool air. Eventually, this is going to start affecting your inside body temperature as well. Frostbite is just the first sign of a larger problem.

Learn about more potential causes of frostbite now.

Direct Contact With Ice Or Ice Packs

Individuals who play sports or exercise have no doubt had their fair share of injuries. When those injuries occurred, it was likely common to place an ice pack against the affected area to soothe pain and swelling. Did you know, however, doing so could have resulted in frostbite? Ice packs are typically extremely cold, especially if they've been sitting in a freezer for a long time. As such, when you force direct contact with ice or ice packs against your skin, you're basically forcing the area to adapt to a colder temperature extremely quickly, which isn't good for your body.

This is why it is crucial to know how to ice an injury properly, so you don't develop frostbite that could end up hurting a lot more than the injury originally did. For starters, always have a layer of something substantial between your skin and the ice pack. Even if it's just a bag of frozen peas, you need something between the bag and your skin. Additionally, only hold it there for twenty minutes at a time. Anything longer, and you're going to start feeling the telltale prickles of frostbite.

Continue for more on what can cause frostbite now.