Frostbite is imminent as temperatures and windchill drops

Essentia Health doctor and Scheels outfitter speak on how to stay warm and safe in this weather

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — “That numbness or loss of sensation or any type of change in appearance to the skin that worries you. If there’s that pale skin that’s not pinkening back up or getting back to its normal color quickly after getting into a warm environment, we’d want to see that and take a look,” said Dr. Chris Anderson, Emergency Physician at Essentia Health.

As temperatures and windchills drop into dangerous territory, Anderson says frostbite, frostnip, or hypothermia can develop in a matter of minutes. Especially if you don’t dress properly for being outdoors in extreme cold.

“A lot of people do in the cold is they wear cotton a lot. Cotton is not the best material just because if you get cotton wet, it’s going to stay wet for a very long time,” said Erik Ross, Men’s Outerwear Manager at Fargo Scheels.

Ross said in the past few days, many people have been coming in to buy base layers to protect themselves from the cold. But others who don’t know what to get, he recommends layering with the three w’s of winter.

“The first layer is your wicking layer, which is going to come from something like the base layer. The second is the warmth layer, that could be a fleece, that could be a sweatshirt, it could be a lighter insulated jacket that’s not necessarily windproof or waterproof. And then you have the weather layer on the outside, which is protecting you from the wind. Which, around here, is really what’s getting you most of the time,” said Ross.

As the temperatures continue to drop, experts recommend that you limit your time outdoors and recognize warning signs, which include shivering, confusion, and drowsiness.

For more information on the signs, you can visit here.