As the temperatures steadily drop during the winter months, we all spend a lot of time thinking about preparing for the cold. So while considering the best winter coat or what gloves will do the job to keep fingers warm and toasty, those of us with body piercings have another consideration to make.
One thing to keep in mind during the cold weather is protecting exposed skin, especially if it has a piece of metal jewelry through it which can intensify the cold. Unless you normally spend a lot of time outdoors in frigid temperatures, you may just not know about the biggest threat to your skin; when Ol' Jack Frost nips at your nose, it can be dangerous if your nose is pierced.
What is Frostbite?
Frostbite, in a nutshell, is skin or soft tissue that freezes due to exposure to extreme cold. Your body is designed to fight cold, but if you get too cold, your body stops sending warm blood to your appendages (nose, ears, fingers etc.), and keeps it near the core of your body to protect vital organs and prevent hypothermia.
This automatic protection means those places deprived of blood flow are subject to freezing. Add to that a piece of metal jewelry of any gauge, and you complicate the situation. The jewelry can actually intensify the cold by acting as a heat sink. In other words, as the jewelry gets cold, it transfers more cold to the pierced area, like inserting an icicle, carrying the cold inside that soft tissue making it that much worse. Basically, you're being frozen from the inside out.
Signs of Frostbite
Usually the surface appears pale or a waxy white color and feels stiff or doesn't move normally. It will sting and burn first (known as frostnip) and then becomes numb and more solid feeling as the freezing continues. Then it may turn red and if allowed to progress to dangerous extremes, it will turn a whitish-purple shade. Gangrene and loss of damaged extremities can result from severe frostbite.
The most common places a person is subject to this risk are the ears, nose, fingers and toes. These are the first places to lose blood flow. As far as piercings go, anything that is exposed - eyebrows, nose, ears, and lips are the most common to be exposed even when you are bundled up everywhere else. Other piercings are less of a risk simply because you usually cover up those areas just getting dressed. However, if for some reason you get wet, anything goes since the water makes any body part exposed to severe cold, even if the area is well covered.
Prevention & Treatment
Prevention is the best medicine. It usually takes extreme temperatures or long exposure to very cold weather to cause frostbite. Most people know well ahead of time if they are going to be subjecting themselves to such conditions, so prevention is as simple as preparation. If you can't cover it up to keep it warm, removal is the best option. One thing that may seem silly at first is to know how to remove your body jewelry. Of course, for any routine removal or change of jewelry, you should always go to a professional. But, anyone who has piercings should know how to take out the jewelry in an emergency situation. If you find yourself stranded unexpectedly in severe cold, take action then before the damage occurs.
If you think you have frostbite, it's best to go to the hospital and have the damage assessed by professionals. Since hypothermia is the next step after frostbite, you want to make sure you are healthy both inside and out after exposure to extreme cold. But if you just have a few really cold fingers and think you may just have the begining stages of frostbite, treatment is fairly simple as are the rules.
Rules: Never rub the frostbitten area. Frostbite must be treated gently; rubbing will cause tissue and skin damage. Do not rub the area with snow; this can make the frostbitten area worse. Do not drink alcohol, smoke or do anything that can interfere with the flow of blood.
Treatment: Quickly re-warming the area is a must. Small areas can be warmed with hands or continuous warm compresses. Large areas if possible should be submerged in warm water. Most resources agree that the heat applied should be around 105 degrees F. If the temperature is any hotter the heat can cause additional damage, and if it is any lower it becomes ineffective. Treatment should continue until the area is pink, and the skin is once again flexible. This takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. As a frostbitten area comes back to more normal temperatures, the affected area will begin to feel sore or even sting.
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