How many times each winter do we lose a mitten? We leave them in cars, buses, diners, stores, streets, closets and dryers. Trivial as these comically losable items seem, mittens and gloves are a safeguard against one of the greatest dangers to our health each winter: frostbite, which causes injuries much like burns and can be quite painful. Frostbite damages the skin, the tissue underneath and sometimes even tendons, muscles, bones and nerves, according to the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Eskenazi Health.
Extremities — that is, your nose, ears, fingers and toes — are vulnerable to frostbite, which in bitter weather can develop within minutes. That’s one reason you should avoid venturing outside or limit your time there when the temperature hovers near zero. Pay attention to the windchill and remember that you will lose additional body heat when wet. If you must go out, ensure you have a hat, scarf, warm socks, boots, a waterproof outer layer and mittens. Gloves do offer good coverage, but they are rarely as warm as mittens.
Be sure to have equal protection from the cold when driving. While the car heater might reassure you, it won’t matter if you’re out of gas when the windchill is below zero. Take precautions to protect yourself whatever the day brings. Fill the gas tank and put together a car safety kit. You can find a full list of recommendations at the National Weather Service’s website. Even if you lack the time or resources to gather all the items experts recommend for car safety in extreme cold, make sure you have water and food, a flashlight, a cell phone charger, a snow scraper and extra layers of clothes and blankets. You may never need them, but knowing they’re there will reassure you through harrowing winter drives. Reach out to a local shelter, community center or religious organization if you don’t have access to the clothing or car safety items you need to keep you and your family warm and safe.
Even with these precautions, frostbite can develop if you spend too long in a bitter temperature or if the weather is especially severe. If your skin has been exposed to extreme cold, return to warmth as soon as possible and observe the affected skin for frostbite symptoms. The first signs are typically a tingling sensation, followed by numbness. If frostbite sets in, the affected skin will become hard, pale, cold and without feeling. It could even turn white, and blisters could develop. With the numbness it causes, frostbite can be overlooked until someone else points it out, so don’t hesitate to have friends or family members look at your skin.
Seek medical attention right away if you think you have frostbite. The American Burn Association says its most severe effects, including limb amputation, can be avoided if a verified burn center is visited within 12 hours of exposure. While you are waiting for help, avoid steps that could cause additional harm. Such steps include walking on frostbitten feet, treating any blisters or approaching fires or heaters while your affected skin is still numb. Wrapping loose, sterile, dry cloths or bandages around the frostbitten area can help keep the skin safe. You can warm your hands with your armpit or use other sources of body heat if you can’t get over the chill. Alternatively, you can apply warm, but not hot, water to the affected area.
Hopefully, you will avoid frostbite with some simple precautions. You may even manage to hold onto your mittens, but just in case, keep a backup pair handy. When that diner where you left your mitten is a mile away and your thermostat says minus nine, you will be glad you did.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D.,
Family medicine specialist with Eskenazi Center North Arlington