One thing we have to keep in mind during the cold weather is protecting our skin; especially the flesh that has a piece of body jewelry through it. One part of caring for your piercing that is often overlooked is the part that only occurs for a couple months out of the year. Unless you spend a lot of times on the slopes, skiing, snowboarding or some other winter game kind-of activity, you may just not know about the biggest threat to your piercing during winter - when Ol' Jack Frost nips at your nose or some other exposed pierced part.
Frostbite, in a nutshell, is skin or soft tissue that freezes due to exposure to cold. Usually the surface appears pale, or a waxy white color, and does not move normally or is stiff. Your body is designed to fight cold. However, when you get too cold, the body stops sending warming blood to the extreme surfaces of the body (nose, ears, fingers etc.), and keeps it near the core of your body to protect vital organs and prevent hypothermia. This automatic protection means those places deprived of blood flow are subject to freezing. Add to that a piece of metal jewelry of any gauge, and you complicate the situation. The jewelry can actually intensify the cold by acting as a heat sink. In other words, as the jewelry gets cold, it transfers more cold to the pierced area, like inserting an icicle, carrying the cold inside that soft tissue making it that much worse. Basically, you're being frozen from the inside out.
The most common places a person is subject to this risk are the ears, nose, fingers and toes. These are the first places to lose blood flow. As far as piercings go, anything that is exposed - eyebrows, nose, ears, and lips are the most common to be exposed even when you are bundled up. Other piercings are less of a risk simply because you usually cover up those areas just getting dressed. However, if for some reason you get wet, anything goes since the water makes any body part exposed to severe cold, even if the area is well covered.
Prevention & Treatment
Prevention is the best medicine. If you know you are going to be out in extreme temperatures, some simple precautions can make all the difference. If you can't cover it up to keep it warm, removal is the best option. If you find yourself stranded unexpectedly in severe cold, take action then before the damage occurs. One thing that may seem silly at first is to know how to remove your body jewelry. Of course, for any routine removal or change of jewelry, you should always go to a professional. But, anyone who has piercings should know how to take out the jewelry in an emergency situation.
Frostbite can be very sneaky. The first signs are a burning or stinging sensation, usually mild, and then the area gets numb and is easily ignored as the numb area begins to freeze and become damaged. Treatment is fairly simple and so are the rules.
Rules: Never rub the frostbitten area. Frostbite must be treated gently; rubbing will cause tissue and skin damage. Do not rub the area with snow; this can make the frostbitten area worse. Do not drink alcohol, smoke or do anything that can interfere with the flow of blood.
Treatment: Quickly re-warming the area is a must. Small areas can be warmed with hands or continuous warm compresses. Large areas if possible should be submerged in warm water. Most resources agree that the heat applied should be around 105 degrees F. If the temperature is any hotter the heat can cause additional damage, and if it is any lower it becomes ineffective. Treatment should continue until the area is pink, and the skin is once again flexible. This takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. As a frostbitten area comes back to more normal temperatures, the affected area will begin to feel sore or even sting.
It usually takes extreme temperatures or long exposure to very cold weather to cause frostbite. Most people know well ahead of time if they are going to be subjecting themselves to such conditions, so prevention is as simple as preparation.
