# Frostbite from temperatures above freezing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113 "2018-08-23T14:19:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/1 "2018-08-23T14:19:28Z")
AIUI, frostbite is defined as body tissue having literally froze at some point, which would indicate it’s impossible to get frostbite from temperatures above freezing. But if a part of the body is exposed to temperatures of 1-2 degrees Celsius for long enough, it would surely sustain injury as well. What would that be if not frostbite? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/2 "2018-08-23T15:27:18Z")
[Chilblains.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilblains) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/3 "2018-08-23T16:45:47Z")
How about “Nonfreezing Cold Injury”? > [@](#): > > Nonfreezing cold injury — Extremities with nonfreezing cold injury (NFCI) progress through a series of “stages”. The duration of each stage varies considerably among patients. Transitions between stages may be abrupt or gradual. > > In the First stage: During cold exposure, the key finding is loss of sensation. This usually takes the form of complete anesthesia. Patients complain of “numbness,” sometimes describing feet or hands as feeling like a block of wood. Due to this loss of sensation and proprioception, patients may become clumsy and may have difficulty walking. Extremities may be bright red at first but then become pale or completely white due to extreme vasoconstriction. The extremity is usually painless unless rewarming is attempted. > > The Second stage: Following cold exposure begins as soon as the patient is removed from the cold environment and continues during and after rewarming. This stage usually lasts just a few hours but may persist for as long as several days. The extremities become a mottled pale blue, reflecting a slight increase in blood flow. The color change can be hard to see in darkly pigmented skin. Peripheral pulses are initially thready. Subsequently, pulses become bounding, but capillary refill is delayed. The extremity continues to be cold and numb. Some swelling can occur. The patient may still have problems walking. > > The Third stage: Hyperemia typically begins abruptly and lasts for days to weeks. In severe cases, the third stage lasts 6 to 10 weeks. The affected extremity becomes bright red and edematous with bounding pulses but with delayed capillary refill, reflecting microcirculatory damage. Anesthesia is replaced by intense pain with hyperalgesia. However, the distal areas of the affected extremities may remain anesthetic. Tissue damage is usually not apparent, but highly damaged areas may develop blistering. Nonviable areas of tissue are rare but may become blistered or discolored before developing necrosis in the fourth stage. > > The Fourth stage: Following hyperemia may end after a few weeks, persist for years, or be permanent. The affected extremity usually appears normal, unless there has been tissue necrosis, which is uncommon. Affected extremities are cool and are often very sensitive to cold. Vasoconstriction in response to cold is common. Extremities may remain cool for hours after a brief exposure to cold. The majority of patients have chronic pain, usually in response to cold. Small areas may continue to be anesthetic. Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) is common. Some patients develop symptoms similar to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), if not actually CRPS. In severe cases, tissue necrosis can occur, necessitating amputation. (See “Complex regional pain syndrome in adults: Pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis”.) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/4 "2018-08-23T16:52:09Z")
BTW the above was quoted from UpToDate ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/5 "2018-08-23T17:08:53Z")
Trenchfoot is a frostbite like condition that can occur with tissue submerged in temperatures as high as the 60s. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/6 "2018-08-23T17:17:39Z")
Frostbite can also occur at ambient temperatures near but above freezing where wind chill produces skin temperatures below freezing, particularly if the skin is wetted by sweat, rain, et cetera, hence the need for wicking layers and water barriers in cold weather apparel. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/7 "2018-08-23T17:42:17Z")
Oh ok thanks. I read that a kid once got esophageal frostbite by swallowing a piece of dry ice. Wonder if someone can get esophageal chilblains (or whatever term) from eating, say, vast quantities of ice cream or crushed ice? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/8 "2018-08-24T13:26:50Z")
Sort of related, but the index finger on my left hand gets numb and white at temperatures above freezing. It sometimes occurs in air conditioned rooms. I believe it’s [Raynaud syndrome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud_syndrome). ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frostbite-from-temperatures-above-freezing/820113/9 "2018-08-24T14:47:49Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Sort of related, but the index finger on my left hand gets numb and white at temperatures above freezing. It sometimes occurs in air conditioned rooms. I believe it’s [Raynaud syndrome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud_syndrome). I have Raynaud’s in my hands and feet, and that sure sounds like what I experience, except that mine turn white and numb, then blue, then red. In the white, numb stage, I can get cuts that I don’t know about until my hands reestablish blood flow and I start bleeding. I’ve also had chilblains lupus on my toes. Lupus affects my circulation, and my classroom was cold enough in winter that some students wore coats.