This winter has certainly had its share of cold weather. We have seen many students brave the extreme cold and high winds in an effort to get to class. The effort is commendable, but many people walk around with little or no protection on face, ears and hands. When temperatures sink low and winds are high, the windchill factor can cause big trouble for exposed skin. This past weekend the Health Service treated seven cases of frostbite on a variety of extremities. Here’s the lowdown on frostbite.

Frostbite occurs when the skin and underlying tissue freeze. Toes, fingers, ears, nose and cheeks are the commonly affected areas. The extremities have the poorest circulation and thus are most susceptible to freezing.

Frostbite need not occur, given common-sense prevention, and prevention is best summarized by the adage, “Keep warm, keep dry and keep moving.” Outdoor warmth is best achieved by several layers of clothing topped with a windproof outer garment—as severe winds can make even above-zero temperatures very dangerous. Clothing can include thermal underwear, two pairs of socks (one thin pair under a thick pair), wool clothing, lined mittens (mittens keep hands warmer than gloves), a hat (you can lose up to 50 percent of your body heat if your head is uncovered) and some type of ear protection. Avoid extremely tight clothes, shoes or boots; they can restrict blood flow.

While we’re on the subject of clothes … it appears to us that many men and women do not like to wear hats. It messes up the hair and, some say, makes one look unattractive. It may temporarily mess up your hair, but that is a small price to pay for protection from extreme windchill factors. As far as attractiveness, the right hat will make any man or woman look sexier. Experiment! Find the hat that makes you look your best.

Be on the watch for frostbite symptoms. The initial symptoms are numbness, prickling and itching. Under the rare circumstance of severe frostbite, there is no sensation and the skin appears white or yellow.

Frostbite is treacherous. Because the victim already has been feeling cold and a little numb, chances are he or she won’t notice the loss of sensation that signals frostbite. Often the only noticeable sign of frostnip, the least severe form of frostbite, is a whitishness in the affected area. To treat frostnip, just place a warm hand over the whitish area and keep it there until the person feels a tingling sensation and the white color turns to red. Don’t rub the area, and certainly do not apply any ointments. Get the person out of the cold and make sure he or she stays indoors until well warmed—several hours or more to be safe. Once the color and feeling come back, the skin is probably all right.

Long exposure to cold can lead to superficial frostbite, in which the top layer of skin has frozen. The signs are numbness and stiff, whitish skin with a waxy appearance. Get the person indoors and give warm drinks. Gently press the skin to see if there is any resilience in the lower layers. If there is some softness, the frozen area is probably not too deep. Again, what you don’t do is very important. Don’t rub it or use ointments, and don’t expose the skin directly to dry heat, such as a campfire, car heater or radiator, since this heat is hard to control. Rapid but helpful reheating in warm water (104—108 degrees) for up to 30 minutes is helpful in preventing further injury. For this kind of frostbite it’s a good idea to seek medical help, especially if swelling occurs.

Frostbite is a condition that requires immediate action; if not treated immediately, gangrene can set in and amputation of the limb may be necessary.

The After Hours Care area of the Health Service can treat you for any frostbite problems. Information on frostbite and other winter health concerns is available at the Wellness Resource Counter, Holmes Student Center, 753_1435.