Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Cold burns occur when the skin is exposed to prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. The most commonly burned parts are fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks, and chin; In severe cases, the affected area may be required. Most cases of cold burns only affect the skin layer (frostbite), but in severe cases, dead tissue spreads deep down and needs to be handled subtly. Cold burns require careful medical care to limit damage and reduce the risk of further damage.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Determination of severity

1. 

   Determine the phenomenon of frostbite. Frostbite is not the same as a cold burn, but can lead to cold burns. Ice crystals form on the surface of the skin without entering the tissues as is the case in cold burns. The blood vessels in the skin contract, causing the skin to become pale or red. You may feel numb, sharp, and feel as if you have ants or needles in the affected area. However, the skin reacts normally without being severely numb when you press it down, while maintaining a natural texture. Symptoms go away when the skin is warmed again.
   • Skin frostbite can affect children faster than adults. The numbness of the skin often affects the ends of the body such as ears, nose, fingers, toes and cheeks.
   • Frostbite is an indication that the weather conditions were sufficient to cause cold burns if exposed for longer.

2. 

   
   
   Determine the state of superficial cold burns. Although it may not feel "shallow", but the reason is called a superficial cold burn because the damage in this case can be overcome. This is more serious than frostbite with numbness, a white or yellowish-gray coloration with red spots, pain or sharpness, a little stiffness or swelling.
   • In case of superficial cold burns, tissue loss is less likely. Some people with superficial cold burns may develop liquid-filled blisters within 24 hours. These blisters usually appear on the ends of the affected area but do not cause tissue loss.

3. 

   
   
   Identify severe cold burns. Severe cold burns are the most dangerous form of cold burns. In the case of severe cold burns, the skin becomes pale, abnormally thick and stiff, and numb / loss of sensation in the affected area. Some severe cold burns will develop blisters on the skin, possibly with blood inside, or signs of gangrene (gray / black dead skin).
   • The most severe form of cold burns spread deep into the muscles and bones, and can damage the skin and tissues. The risk of tissue loss in this case is very high.

4. 

   
   
   Get out of the cold and seek treatment as soon as possible. If possible go to the hospital or emergency room within two hoursYou should not self-treat cold burns. If you cannot get out of the cold, do not try to warm the affected area again if it is in danger of freezing again. The freeze-thaw cycle then re-freeze and thaw do more damage than the sustained freeze.
   • If you cannot access medical care within two hours, you can initiate self-treatment. All three cases - frostbite, superficial cold and severe cold - had the same basic treatment for “field treatment” (away from hospital).
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Part 2 of 3: Warming the affected area

1. 

   Start to warm the damaged skin. As soon as you notice cold burned skin on your body (usually found in your fingers, toes, ears and nose), you should take steps to warm those parts. Place your finger / hand under your armpits, and place your dry gloved hand on your face, toes or other affected skin areas to warm. Remove clothing if it gets wet, as wet clothing will prevent your body from increasing in temperature.

2. 

   Take pain relievers if needed. If the burn is superficial or severe, the process of warming the skin can be painful. To prevent further damage, take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever (NSAID) like ibuprofen. However, do not take aspirin because it can take a long time to heal. Use according to the dosage instructions on the package.

3. 

   Warm the burned area by soaking in warm water. Fill a pot or bowl with warm water at around 40-42 degrees Celsius. A water temperature of 40.5 degrees C is considered ideal. Do not exceed the above level as higher temperatures can burn and blister the skin. If you have one, mix a little antibacterial soap in the water to prevent infection. Soak the affected skin for 15-30 minutes.
   • If you don't have a thermometer available, you can test the warmth of the water by immersing non-damaged skin, such as your hands or elbows, in water. The water should be very warm, but within tolerable. Cool down if the water is too hot.
   • If possible, using circulating water will be better than still water. A whirlpool bath is ideal, but running tap water works just as well.
   • Do not let the affected area touch the edge of the bowl or bowl. This can damage the skin.
   • Warm the skin for no less than 15-30 minutes. Once the skin has thawed, you may experience severe pain. However, it is important to continue to warm the skin until completely thawed. If you stop the heating process too soon, you may suffer more damage.
   • In the case of severe cold burns, you may need to warm the area for up to an hour.

4. 

   Do not use a dry heat source such as a stove, heater or hot pack. These heat sources are difficult to control and do not provide a gradual warmth to treat cold burns, and can further cause burns.
   • Remember that the cold burned area will be numb, and you will not be able to measure the temperature. Dry heat sources cannot be precisely controlled.

5. 

   Pay attention to cold burned skin. Once the skin has warmed up on its own, you may feel a crawl or burning sensation. The damaged skin will turn pink or red, often blotchy, and return to a normal texture / feeling.The skin should not be swollen or blistering. Such symptoms signal more damage and need immediate medical attention. In addition, if the area of ​​the skin has not changed after soaking in warm water for several minutes, there may be a serious injury that requires treatment by a doctor.
   • Take pictures of the affected area if possible. This will help the doctor keep track of the progress of the condition and see if the wound is improving with treatment.

6. 

   Prevent further damage. Continue seeking medical attention, but care should be taken in the process so that the cold burn does not worsen. Do not rub or rub the affected area, avoid excessive movement and expose the skin to extreme cold temperatures again.
   • After your skin has been warmed up, let it dry naturally or pat dry with a clean towel, but don't rub it.
   • Do not bandage the wound yourself. There is no evidence to support a cold burn prior to getting medical attention, furthermore it interferes with your movement.
   • Do not massage onto cold burned skin. This can cause further tissue damage.
   • Raise the affected area to help reduce swelling.
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Part 3 of 3: Specialized treatment

1. 

   Continue medical treatment. Different types of cold burns are treated by your doctor, depending on the severity of the cold burn. Hydrotherapy is the most common treatment, however extremely serious cases require surgery. If you have a severe cold burn, your doctor may limit the area to be removed, but this decision is only made after 1-3 months, once the extent of tissue damage has been determined.
   • The doctor will make sure to properly warm up and evaluate "tissues that cannot survive", or tissues that are unable to heal. When your treatment is complete and you are ready to leave the hospital or emergency room, your doctor will bandage the area of ​​the injury and advise you on the precautions you need to take when you recover. This can vary depending on the severity of the cold burn.
   • If you have a severe cold burn, your doctor may recommend a referral to a burn department for treatment.
   • You will need a follow-up visit within 1-2 days of leaving the hospital or emergency room in case of moderate to severe colds. Very serious cases need to re-examination in 10 days to 2-3 weeks.

2. 

   Talk to your doctor about post-treatment care. Cold burns damage the skin, leading to a greater risk of damage once healing begins. You may experience pain and inflammation as you recover. Get plenty of rest and talk to your doctor about the following:
   • Apply aloe. Studies show that pure aloe vera cream applied to damaged skin can help prevent further skin damage and help tissue heal.
   • Take care of the blisters. Your skin may become swollen as you recover. Do not poke or break these blisters. Ask your doctor about how to treat blisters until they rupture on their own.
   • Pain control. Your doctor may prescribe ibuprofen to help relieve pain and inflammation. You need to take the medicine according to the instructions.
   • Prevent infection. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics, especially in severe cases. It is important to take the correct course of treatment as prescribed by your doctor.
   • How to move. If you have a cold burn on your foot or toes, avoid walking with your feet while you wait for the wound to heal. Walking on a cold burned area can cause further damage. Talk to your doctor about wheelchair use or other options.

3. 

   Protect the affected area from the cold. To ensure complete healing and prevent further damage, you need to avoid exposure to cold temperatures for 6-12 months.
   • As a precaution against future colds, you should limit the time outdoors when it is extremely cold, especially when it is windy or humid.
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Advice

• If you have hypothermia, you must deal with it first. Hypothermia is a dangerously low temperature drop in the body. This can be fatal, so it must always be treated before treating a cold burn.
• Preventing cold burns:
  • Use seamless gloves instead of gloves.
  • Wear layers of thin clothes instead of one or two thick layers of clothing.
  • Keep clothing dry, especially socks and gloves.
  • Make sure to wrap the infant in layers and take him indoors every hour to warm up. Young children are more susceptible to cold burns because they lose heat faster than adults.
  • Make sure shoes / boots are not too tight.
  • Wear a ski hat or mask that can protect your nose and ears.
  • Seek shelter during a hurricane.

Warning

• Once the cold burns of the extremities have been warmed up, it is essential not to let them freeze again. Freezing can lead to irreversible damage.
• Do not warm the affected area with direct dry heat such as fire (any type), hot water bottle or heating pad, as you will not feel the heat. The damaged skin will easily burn.
• Numb hands won't feel the heat in the water, so ask someone else to check the water to avoid burns.
• Do not smoke or drink alcohol while you recover; both of which interfere with blood circulation.
• Do not use the affected area once it has been warmed up until it has healed. If not, you may be hurt more.
• Young children are affected by cold faster than adults. Watch children every time they go outside in cold weather.
• In extremely cold weather, cold burns can occur in as little as 5 minutes.

What you need

• Warm water
• Antiseptic soap
• Analgesic
• Shelter