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Cold & Freezing Life-saving
Frostbite Care
Frostbite freezes tissue, usually fingers, toes, nose, and ears. Rewarm only when there's no risk of refreezing.
What to do
- 1Get out of the cold; remove wet gloves/socks and any rings.
- 2Rewarm gradually in warm (not hot) water, ~99–104°F, until skin softens — it will hurt.
- 3Do NOT rewarm if the part might refreeze before you reach safety; refreezing causes worse damage.
- 4Never rub frostbitten skin or use direct high heat (stove, fire).
- 5Protect the area, avoid walking on frostbitten feet, and seek medical care.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Rubbing with snow (an old, harmful myth)
- Using a fire/stove to warm fast
- Rewarming then refreezing
Good to know
- Numb, white, waxy skin = stop and warm safely. Pain on rewarming is expected.
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