Protecting yourself from frostbite

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – With the cold temps and the high winds, anyone can be impacted by frostbite. That’s why it is imperative to protect yourself.

“When it gets cold, it’s something we’ll see at least on a weekly basis I would say,” said Dr. Christopher of Essentia Health. “It’s unfortunate but it does happen. Try to take good steps to prevent it from happening in the first place is really the best thing you can do.”

Dr. Anderson says wearing proper clothing and covering up exposed skin can help prevent getting frostbite. He also says avoiding long exposure outside can help, especially since the high winds the Red River Valley gets can accelerate the issue.

That means wearing gloves, a hat and proper footwear when you are outside.

“Frostbite can happen quickly depending on the weather conditions,” said Dr. Anderson. “When it’s really cold and windy, it’s something that can happen in the matter of minutes. Not necessarily hours. But it can happen fast. You got to be well prepared. You want clothing that is appropriate for the conditions for sure.”  

But when you come back inside, avoid running into an extremely hot shower or running your hands under hot water in the sink. Because that can cause more issues for you.

“Let’s say your fingers are cold, they don’t have great sensation and so you may not be able to tell when that water gets too hot. It could actually can cause some burns on top of the tissue that is already damaged.” said Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson also says that if you feel like you have frostbite, you should head to emergency services to get it checked out.