The combination of frigid temperatures and unprepared outdoorsmen who think they’re too tough to keep warm jack up the risk of contracting frostbite. If you’ve been exposed to extreme cold and notice an area of skin has gone hard, pale and numb, preceded by a feeling of pins and needles, you’ll want to seek medical care immediately.

The Emergency Medical Services Authority tells you what to do before you receive attention from professionals.

The article says you should seek warm shelter. Then take off any articles of clothing that are wet or constricting and soak the potentially frostbitten area in warm water or cover it with warm clothing for between 20 and 30 minutes.

It’s important that you don’t expose the area to extreme heat, because the loss of sensation can make it easier to burn the skin. It’s also a bad idea to move the area when it lacks sensation, because doing so increases the risk of damaging the tissue.

How to Treat Frostbite [Emergency Medical Services Authority]

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