Almost all minor cold injuries will heal on their own and treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve your symptoms and promote healing. However, if you suspect you may have a more severe cold injury, especially when you are on your hiking adventure, use first aid measures while you arrange for an evaluation by health professional.
- If you have hypothermia, try immediate first aid measures. Stay calm, find shelter, change to dry clothes, keep moving, and drink warm fluids to prevent further heat loss and slowly rewarm yourself.
- If small areas of your body (ears, face, nose, fingers, and toes) are really cold or frozen, try to warm these areas and prevent further injury to skin. Warm small areas by blowing warm air on them, tucking them inside your clothing or putting them in warm water.
While for the frostbite skin, this maybe more sensitive after the cold injury. The injured skin area should be protected with sunscreen and protective clothing to prevent further skin damage. The color of the injured skin may also change over time.
You can apply aloe vera or another moisturizer, such as Lubriderm or Keri Lotion, to windburned skin. Reapply often. There is little you can do to stop skin from peeling after a windburn—it is part of the healing process—but this treatment may make your skin feel better. Or you may use nonprescription artificial tears warmed to body temperature to moisturize and soothe eyes that are cold, sore, or dry from exposure to cold or wind.
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