Frostbite Quiz
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Redness of the skin
Hand skin is dry
Sores or ulcers of the skin
Feet cold
Itchy
There are blisters
Red spots on skin
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Frostbite?
Frostbite is a skin injury that happens after exposure to low temperatures. The skin freezes and blood vessels constrict.
Typical Symptoms of Frostbite
- Bluish or pale skin
- Cold hands and feet
- Itchy skin
- Skin problem over the back of the hand
- Palm redness
- Earache
- Blisters on the skin
- Welts appear when skin is scratched or rubbed
Diagnostic Questions for Frostbite
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have any bluish or pale skin?
- Do you often have cold hands and feet?
- Do you have itchy skin?
- Do your hand problems affect the skin beyond the wrist?
- Do your palms appear red?
Treatment of Frostbite
Mild cases can be treated with slow, gentle rewarming at room temperature and pain medications. More severe cases may need surgery and medications to restore blood flow.
Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency Medicine)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Yukiko Ueda, MD (Dermatology)
Dr. Ueda graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine and trained at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She is currently a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, and holds several posts in the dermatology departments at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Komagome Hospital, University of Tokyo, and the Medical Center of Japan Red Cross Society.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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See full list
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Diseases Related to Frostbite
FAQs
Q.
Is Cryotherapy Safe? The Medical Reality and Your Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Cryotherapy can offer short-term relief for soreness and some pain when professionally supervised, but it is not risk-free, with documented harms like frostbite, nerve injury, blood pressure spikes, and breathing problems, and whole-body cryotherapy is not FDA approved to treat medical conditions. Before trying it, discuss your health history with a clinician, avoid it if you have heart or circulation disease, cold sensitivity, pregnancy, or neuropathy, use a reputable facility, keep sessions brief with protective gear, and seek urgent care for severe pain, persistent numbness, blistering, chest pain, or shortness of breath. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more, including safer alternatives and step-by-step guidance on whether and how to proceed.
References:
* Bleakley CM, Costello JT, Glasgow PD, et al. Whole-body cryotherapy: a critical review of the literature. Br J Sports Med. 2022 Dec;56(23):1365-1372. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105742. Epub 2022 Aug 4. PMID: 35928681.
* Maziarska A, Krzewicka A, Mrozikiewicz PM. Safety and efficacy of whole-body cryotherapy in adults: A systematic review. Complement Ther Med. 2022 Oct;70:102875. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102875. Epub 2022 Oct 24. PMID: 36294717.
* Strumiłło-Dyba E, Kozak-Stankiewicz K, Romanowska-Pawliczek A, et al. Adverse events associated with whole-body cryotherapy: A scoping review. Complement Ther Med. 2023 Sep;76:102985. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102985. Epub 2023 Aug 18. PMID: 37624103.
* Lombardi G, Ziemann E, Cuenca E, et al. Safety and effectiveness of whole-body cryotherapy in various clinical disorders: a comprehensive review. Front Physiol. 2019 Jan 10;9:1662. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01662. PMID: 30671409; PMCID: PMC6334543.
* Bouzigon R, Grappe F, Ravier G, et al. Whole-body cryotherapy: an evidence-based approach. Br J Sports Med. 2017 Aug;51(16):1227-1234. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096727. Epub 2017 May 27. PMID: 28552733.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Handford C, Thomas O, Imray CHE. Frostbite. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2017 May;35(2):281-299. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2016.12.006. PMID: 28411928.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0733862716301201?via%3DihubJoshi K, Goyary D, Mazumder B, Chattopadhyay P, Chakraborty R, Bhutia YD, Karmakar S, Dwivedi SK. Frostbite: Current status and advancements in therapeutics. J Therm Biol. 2020 Oct;93:102716. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102716. Epub 2020 Sep 4. PMID: 33077129.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306456520304885?via%3DihubRegli IB, Strapazzon G, Falla M, Oberhammer R, Brugger H. Long-Term Sequelae of Frostbite-A Scoping Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 14;18(18):9655. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18189655. PMID: 34574580; PMCID: PMC8465633.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9655Hickey S, Whitson A, Jones L, Wibbenmeyer L, Ryan C, Fey R, Litt J, Fabia R, Cancio L, Mohr W, Twomey J, Wagner A, Cochran A, Bailey JK. Guidelines for Thrombolytic Therapy for Frostbite. J Burn Care Res. 2020 Jan 30;41(1):176-183. doi: 10.1093/jbcr/irz148. PMID: 31899512.
https://academic.oup.com/jbcr/article-abstract/41/1/176/5695870?redirectedFrom=fulltextLaskowski-Jones L, Jones LJ. Frostbite: Don't be left out in the cold. Nursing. 2018 Feb;48(2):26-33. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000529802.75665.d7. PMID: 29324622.
https://journals.lww.com/nursing/Fulltext/2018/02000/Frostbite__Don_t_be_left_out_in_the_cold.9.aspx