Save your life! What should I do if I get frostbite in Harbin?

Review expert: Zhang Yuhong, chief physician of the Department of Dermatology, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University

Harbin's tourism is still popular, and more and more tourists are attracted by the northern scenery and linger in the world of ice sculptures and the romance of the snow village. However, this fairy-tale world with a temperature of about -20℃ has taught many "small golden beans in the south" a "vivid and profound" lesson.
A boxing coach who came to Harbin from Henan for tourism did not wear a hat when visiting the Ice and Snow World and Songhua River. After only two hours, his ears were frozen and a huge blister formed.

Image source | Beijing time

In Jilin Province, a girl also suffered severe frostbite on her hands because she did not wear gloves during outdoor training. The girl said that she did not have the habit of wearing gloves during physical training, and her hands started to hurt and turn white after running seven or eight laps. Although the "whitening" reaction does not seem serious, it is actually very dangerous.

Source: Weibo

Frostbite happens every year, but this year there are more cases! For "Southern Little Potatoes" who have no experience of cold winters, how can they best keep warm?

1

Why is frostbite easily ignored?

Frostbite refers to local or systemic damage caused by the action of cold factors on the human body. Frostbite is divided into systemic frostbite and local frostbite. Systemic frostbite is commonly known as "frozen stiffness". It often occurs in drowning in severe cold climates and being buried in snow. It is mostly related to sudden accidents and is not common in our daily lives.

Local frostbite is common in daily life. Local frostbite often occurs in low temperature or humid conditions, and often occurs in the hands, feet, and face where they are easily exposed. At the same time, frostbite symptoms can be divided into four levels:

Image source | Made by the author

It can be seen that frostbite can cause discomfort at the mildest level and permanent damage at the worst. The power of frostbite is not only the severity of the symptoms, but also the frequency of occurrence, which is worthy of attention.

Sometimes, staying outside for too long in winter, or riding a bike to work without gloves while holding the handlebars, can cause frostbite. Many times, people are unaware of frostbite when they first get it. In other words, we can easily get frostbite for no apparent reason, and the pain only starts when we return indoors and warm up.

Four degrees of frostbite | mayoclinic.org

Frostbite is easy to ignore, mainly because it dulls your senses . When you first get frostbite, your skin will feel pain, which is similar to the feeling of being cold. Some people may not even feel the initial pain. As frostbite gets worse, the skin starts to become numb, and the frostbitten area is no longer sensitive to cold, heat, or needles.

During the numbness process, the degree of frostbite will only escalate. After the temperature is restored and the feeling is normal, the frostbitten area will show symptoms such as severe pain and blisters.

2

Can you rub it after you find frostbite?

When the biting cold wind of winter hits, especially in Harbin where the temperature is nearly minus 20 degrees Celsius, people wrap themselves in coats and rush out, and the risk of frostbite increases. How to effectively prevent frostbite in daily life and ensure the safety and comfort of outdoor activities has become a topic of common concern in winter.

When you go out, dress appropriately, preferably in layers of warm clothing, especially thermal base and mid-layers, and a waterproof outer layer . Pay special attention to protecting your hands, feet, and head, as these areas are more susceptible to frostbite.

It is very important to keep your clothes dry when you are wearing them. Moisture will accelerate the loss of heat. Try to avoid wearing cotton clothes in the inner part of your body. Cotton clothes are not easy to dry after getting wet. Avoid wearing tight clothes as a base layer. Tight clothes will restrict blood circulation and affect the body's ability to keep warm.

In addition, you can stay active in your daily life. Moderate exercise can help blood circulation, such as walking and jogging, but avoid excessive sweating .

Source | Healthy China If you accidentally get frostbite, you should immediately take the following measures to relieve the symptoms.

1. Get into a warm environment as soon as possible, move the frostbitten part indoors or to another warm place as soon as possible, and let the body warm up slowly. Do not directly heat the frostbitten part with a heat source (such as hot water, heating or fire), which may cause burns. Use warm water within the normal human body temperature range, that is, warm water between 37 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius, to slowly soak the frostbitten part . If it is inconvenient to soak the frostbitten part, you can soak it with a wet towel and apply a wet compress. This can allow the frostbitten skin to slowly return to normal temperature.

2. Do not rub the frostbitten area . It is not advisable to attempt to warm the area by generating heat through friction, as friction may further damage the tissue.

3. Avoid using alcohol or tobacco . Alcohol and nicotine intake will dilate blood vessels and increase heat loss.

If the frostbitten area develops blisters, swelling, blackening, or numbness, seek medical attention immediately.

3

A Guide to Preventing Frostbite Outdoors

For those who like outdoor hiking, the beautiful natural scenery in winter is naturally not to be missed. In the extreme temperatures in winter, outdoor activities to ensure that the body is not frostbitten is the top priority.

Selected from pixabay

1. Pay attention to keeping your hands, feet and head warm. For hand warmth, it is best to choose double-layer gloves, with fleece as the inner layer and mittens as the outer layer. For foot warmth, it is best to wear two layers of socks, and choose double-layer warm down hiking snow boots. Keeping your head warm is very important, and you should pay equal attention to warmth and windproof. A windproof fleece hat is a good choice, which is windproof and warm, and also breathable and sweat-wicking.

2. Wear the right clothes. In the cold outdoors, more clothes are not necessarily better. Too many clothes will not only restrict your movements, but also make it difficult to wick away sweat and breathe freely. When your clothes get soaked by sweat, the warmth-keeping effect will be greatly reduced. It is generally best to wear three layers of clothes when dressing outdoors. The innermost layer should be outdoor underwear, which can quickly wick away sweat and keep you warm. Avoid cotton clothes in the middle layer, as cotton clothes are difficult to wick away sweat. It is best to choose wool and synthetic materials. For the outermost layer, basically choose a jacket or a thick down jacket, which should not only be warm enough but also windproof. Without windproof clothing, the strong wind in cold weather can easily pass through the clothes and take away the heat directly.

3. Replenish calories in time. When you are outdoors in winter, you should bring a thermos cup and high-calorie food, such as meat, chocolate, etc. Drinking hot water and eating high-calorie food in time can not only drive away the cold, but also replenish energy for the body and maintain normal body temperature.

Harbin Ice and Snow World Source | Hippopx

In Harbin, where water freezes into ice, you should never underestimate the importance of keeping warm outdoors while immersing yourself in the world of ice and snow. Keeping warm and preventing frostbite is the prerequisite for enjoying the beautiful scenery. I hope everyone who travels to Harbin can have wonderful memories of ice and snow.