Do not drink these two drinks before going outside; It seems like it’s getting hotter, although it actually only promotes colds.

– What are the first signs of frostbite?

– It is the most terrible thing that the differences with the burn, that a person feels very suddenly, do not feel frostbite. After all, when we want it to not hurt, we freeze that place. In the cold, the opposite happens: at first nature cools us down and then begins to hurt us. Pale, numb skin when you begin to feel your hands, feet, nose, or ears.

– That when you no longer feel a certain part of the body, can you suspect that a frostbite has started?

– Yes, that place is cold, white, you don’t feel it. Later, if the degree of frostbite is higher, wounds also appear. But they usually happen later when we return to a warm room. The ice that has formed in the deeper layers of tissue stops damaging cells and blood begins to flow. At first we will feel a bit of numbness and a total cold touch, say, cheek. Still, viewers can tell that the skin is very white.

– You say that the skin fades and that is already a sign of danger. But it is often said that when the cheeks become red or bruised, there is frostbite.

– Redness and bruising in the later stages of frostbite, when bruising occurs. At first, the blood vessels constrict, so much blood is lost, and the skin fades as a result.

– You mentioned that the water in the cells freezes during freezing. Perhaps you can explain in more detail what is happening in the body at that time.

– If you take a plastic bottle, fill it with water and put it in the freezer, what happens? It will explode. The same thing happens with our cells. The ice crystals simply pierce the cells. This is already an extreme case of frostbite. Usually just because the blood vessels constrict, the cells don’t get enough oxygen and they start to suffocate until they eventually die.

– We go out, we walk a long time, we see pale skin. What to do then? Run home and start scrubbing, maybe pour warm water?

– There are many recipes. You should always return to a warm environment as soon as possible. If this is not possible or you need to go longer, you should heat the place as much as possible. The easiest and safest way is to cover the frostbite and hug the other part of your body to warm it up. For example, place the palm of your hand on your ear. The heat in our hands should be enough to defrost it a bit. There should be no rush to rub hard. The old recipe is to grab the snow and start rubbing the freeze. If there is already a deeper skin lesion, we will further damage the skin, rub it. Also, with dirty snow we can bring contagion. Wrapping the freeze may not be enough, as the warmth of the clothing will not be the same as, say, our hands. If we have something hot nearby, like a thermos with tea, we can add it to the skin and heat it. But don’t overdo it. It is not necessary to pour boiling water or put your feet in the fire, as we can burn the skin. It is better to hug, hug, warm, it can be massaged very gently, but I would definitely not recommend rubbing.

– It is said that all kinds of oils help. Can’t you do that too?

– Oils very well before going abroad. You must monitor the behavior of those people who are constantly in that environment at all times. If we want to protect ourselves from overheating, let’s see how the Africans behave, if we want to protect ourselves from freezing, let’s see how the people of the North behave. The same application of oil on the skin creates a barrier so that the skin does not emit heat so quickly. Therefore, the oils must be used before going out. When you return, if it turns white or red, your skin will benefit from any moisturizing ointment. We can use it, but already after having defrosted the skin safely.

– But as I understand it, we’re talking about a milder degree of frostbite. If a more severe frostbite occurs, the skin becomes red or bruised, what to do then?

– Blisters, wounds then appear and, depending on the depth of penetration of the cold, bone damage can also occur. But such injuries do not happen easily, it is necessary to try to fall asleep on the side without socks. In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor and wrap a sterile bandage.

– What will happen if we do not go to the doctors in time, when the frosts are already more serious?

– According to the level of freezing. It is even possible to lose a frozen part of the body.

– And how do doctors treat frostbite in the hospital reception room?

– A frostbite in this case is just a wound like a burn. All dead tissue is removed, antibiotics are given, and the wound is kept clean and re-examined frequently.

– It is said that some garments attract more cold than others and cannot be prepared for excessive cold. Suppose jeans or other tight clothing. Do they really attract the cold or is it more because they are tight?

– Yes, there are fabrics that retain heat better and others that retain it worse. This is usually related to the amount of air bubbles between the skin and the material. Woolen clothing, when there are soft and fluffy threads, contains a lot of accumulated air. Like fur coats, they are warm because there are so many air bubbles between the hair that make up that warm air gap. Tight clothing has lower heat retention properties. But no one stands still, new materials are being created, the same thermal clothing that is quite tight but never gets wet. Therefore, it cannot be said that tight clothing necessarily attracts the cold.

– In general, when it comes to the cold, there are all kinds of different claims, such as the disappearance of viruses or the slightest spread. Is it perhaps to be expected that, in case of severe frosts, this climate will be beneficial to health? Are they just myths?

– No, these are not myths. But it is not necessary to wait for a -25 degree cold to kill the virus that is in us. However, if we go outside and maybe someone yells at a safe enough distance, then the chances of that virus flying off a scapegoat are much lower for us to fly towards us. There are both benefits. Extremely cold and dry climates are unfavorable for viruses.

– If we go outside at a time when it will be very cold, perhaps it will still benefit our body and there will be some hardening? How do we get out safely so as not to freeze our limbs?

– First of all, when it comes to hardening, it should be done now, before it gets so cold. See how comfortable clothing, shoes, hat and the like are. There are various theories. One of them says that you should put on as many layers as possible, preferably natural fibers: cotton, wool. Others say that it is better to have some layers but clothes adapted for the cold. I tend to be more supportive of the second option. If we look at it historically, the British expeditions to the North Pole ended sadly, one of those reasons being that they had put on many layers of woolen clothing. They got hot, they sweated, it was difficult for them to change and stay warm. At that time, Amundsen, who was also cultivated by northern natives, put warm fur almost over a naked body and thus retained his warmth well.

Clothes should be comfortable, not too tight, should keep the layer of air, shoes are not small, the thicker the socks. Make sure to wear a hat to cover your ears, have a scarf, wear gloves. Get out, move your fingers. If we start to sweat a little, we should slow down. But if we’ve already sweated, let’s not stop and go home sooner. I would not dare to go out for a long time in the cold. You should go out briefly and see how the body responds. Be full, eat warm liquid with you. If you go for a long time, don’t go alone, bring someone to the company who can tell you that your cheeks are already pale. And let’s forget about heating methods like coffee and alcohol. They steal our perception of temperature, improve their delivery, we do not feel cold, but in fact it freezes at that moment.

– And what about small children, is it possible to take them outside in such cold weather?

– Again, it depends on how the children behaved before the extreme cold or went outside. If it was rare to be outside before the cold, you shouldn’t take them outside during the cold. You must look at the temperature you feel. The safe temperature for children is -10 or maximum -15 degrees. Without humidity and without strong winds, the sun will shine, despite the fact that the thermometer will read -25 degrees, we will feel -10 and it will be possible to go outside with confidence.

– I know people who never wear a hat or scarf in their life and they say they never used it and that they don’t need it and it’s cold because they are used to it. Can this really happen?

– Yes, this is one aspect of the hardening. We adjust our body temperature to one or another change in the environment. This reduces the frequency of colds. But it all depends on how we behave, how long we will be outside and what we will do there. If I was going outside for 2-3 hours, I would definitely wear warmer gloves, a hat, and another jacket.

– To summarize our conversation, what is the most important thing to keep in mind and what to pay attention to now?

– Avoid humidity. If we sweat, we get our feet wet, we will have tight shoes, colds will be much faster. Let’s have common sense at all times and follow the recommendations.