During periods of extreme cold, like the Midwest is facing, it is easy for exposed skin to get damaged.
Frostbite is when skin freezes and becomes cold, red and starts to burn. Eventually the skin can lose feeling and turn black.
Linda Vail is the Health Officer for the Ingham County Health Department. She said it is important to allow frozen skin tissue to warm up naturally and not to massage it.
“What you want to do - a lot of people think okay, let me you know, warm water or something like that. It’s actually better if it warms up more slowly,” Vail said. “You need to get somewhere where it can warm up. Don’t stick it under something hot. Don’t stick it under hot running water. That can cause damage to the tissues.”
Vail said it is important for people to remember to cover as much exposed skin as possible and not to stay outside for prolonged periods because it could lead to hypothermia.