Have you had frostbite?

We've had topical winter weather here in the midwest for the last
couple of days. So I thought I bring us down to earth - have you
frostbite (FB) before?

I have heard that if you have FB you are more likely to get it again.
Have you found this to be true?

I have had mild FB in a number of areas and have not found recurrence
related to previous exposure.

Is this just an urban myth?

In article ,
WasGitchi wrote:
Is this just an urban myth?

No, it's a common problem with mushers, who can be out for
extended periods of time in extremely cold temperatures (too
cold to ski). There's also a general problem with increased
cold sensitivity. It's not a problem, of course, for digits
lost to frostbite.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

On Jan 7, 2:36 pm, (Melinda Shore) wrote:
In article ,

WasGitchi wrote:
Is this just an urban myth?

I used to enjoy XC racing without hat or gloves down to 10F. I could
enjoy colder temps than anyone else in our race fields. Then one day
while wearing hat and gloves while tele-skiing at -20F above treeline
in the wind, I got nipped on ears and a little on fingers---and ever
since I've needed to at least wear earmuffs and gloves if it's below
25F. --JP

There's also a general problem with increased
cold sensitivity.

When you talk about increase cold sensitivity, do you mean, "the
nerves are more sensitive to cold" or that "you are have gotten
frostbite in that area again?"

I got nipped on ears and a little on fingers
by nipped - do you mean that the skin dies and peels off - or that
area turned white and recovered?

In article ,
WasGitchi wrote:
When you talk about increase cold sensitivity, do you mean, "the
nerves are more sensitive to cold" or that "you are have gotten
frostbite in that area again?"

Both - it's easier for the scar tissue to freeze, but even
if there's no refreezing the nerves were damaged the first
time around and are more sensitive to cold. Severe
frostbite isn't that common in skiers (at least not really
dumb ones) because by the time it's cold enough to freeze
your skin hard it's really too cold to ski without
destroying your lungs. If you got white spots that thawed
(ouch!) without turning black or swelling up and filling
with fluid you probably don't have much to worry about.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

On Jan 7, 6:58*pm, (Melinda Shore) wrote:
When you talk about increase cold sensitivity, do you mean, "the
nerves are more sensitive to cold"

Agree - I frostbit my toes as a kid and 45 yrs later, my feet are
still super sensitive to cold.

*Severe
frostbite isn't that common in skiers (at least not really
dumb ones) because by the time it's cold enough to freeze
your skin hard it's really too cold to ski without
destroying your lungs. *If you got white spots that thawed

I disagree here as I just frostbit a finger, raking my roof during a
fairly warm (15 deg F) day. It was (as Melinda pointed out) an
incredibly stupid thing I did to cause it and two days later I ended
up w/ a white fingertip - hard and swollen, virtually dead to the
touch, and the skin has sloughed off now. The new skin is incredibly
sensitive to everything, including typing this note! I expect once it
toughens up that feeling will go away.

- Bob