Experts Offer Tips on How to Avoid Frostbite

Health Officials Say Avoiding Caffeine Can Help Hold Off Frostbite

DULUTH, Minn.-If you dared to battle the frigid temperatures the last few days, there’s a chance you were rolling the dice on getting frostbite.

Local medical experts say that you can get it in less than an hour when being out in frigid temperatures.

If you are not sure if you have it, here’s some telltale signs.

“If you notice any cherry red, pale, mottled skin, incorporated with extreme pain, numbness, and tingling, [make sure] you are seen right away,” said Jessie Blaylock, a nurse at Essentia Health.

In order to avoid frostbite, health officials also recommend not drinking beverages with caffeine in them, as they dehydrate you which could help lead to frostbite. Other tips include avoiding alcohol and dressing in layers.

So far Essentia has seen only a few cases of frostbite, but they expect that to pick up in the coming weeks.