Is Vaseline effective for frostbite? The key to Vaseline is preventive application

Chilblains are common in winter. They are caused by the cold weather and cause repeated erythema and swelling of the local skin. In severe cases, blisters and ulcers may occur. The disease course is slow and the patient will heal on his own after the weather warms up, but it is easy to relapse. So, is Vaseline effective for frostbite?

Does Vaseline work on frostbite?

Vaseline does have a certain effect on frostbite, and many topical medications for frostbite contain vaseline. Vaseline is a mineral wax that forms a protective film on the skin and is very suitable for dry skin. It can be used as a lip balm, hand cream, face or body wipe. It is a very good moisturizing product.

The key to Vaseline is preventive application

Vaseline cannot cure frostbite, it is just an auxiliary medicine. It is generally chosen in winter to preventively apply Vaseline to areas that are prone to frostbite or have had frostbite. Remember, the key to using Vaseline is to prevent frostbite. Don't wait until frostbite has formed and then try to cure it by applying it. To cure it, you still have to rely on special medicines and frostbite ointments.

Chilblains are not frostbite, they depend on the person and the environment

1. Chilblain and frostbite in medicine are not the same thing. The damage caused to the human body by low temperature is collectively called cold injury. The cold injury caused by low temperature below freezing point (0℃) is frostbite, while the cold injury caused by low temperature between 0~10℃ is non-freezing cold injury. Frostbite is a non-freezing cold injury.

2. The season change when the temperature changes suddenly is the time when frostbite loves to attack, and the humid environment is its accomplice. There should not be a huge difference in the incidence of frostbite between the north and the south, because in winter and spring, although the temperature in the south is higher than that in the north, the south is relatively humid and lacks indoor heating, so frostbite is not uncommon.

3. In addition to cold and humidity, poor blood circulation is another important factor that causes frostbite. The blood circulation in the extremities is slightly worse than that in other parts, so frostbite is more common in the extremities. In addition, the peripheral circulation of women's limbs is often poorer than that of men, the regulatory ability of children's peripheral circulation is poorer than that of adults, and the peripheral circulation of people with diabetes, autonomic nervous system disorders, malnutrition, anemia, etc. is poorer than that of healthy people. Therefore, these groups are more likely to be "bitten" by frostbite. If some clothes are too tight and blood circulation is poor, it can also induce frostbite.

4. Not everyone will get frostbite in the same environment. Studies in recent years have shown that whether or not you get frostbite is also related to genetics. Genes cause differences in how individuals react to cold and damp, making some people naturally more susceptible to frostbite.

Prevention and treatment of frostbite

1. Prevention

When it comes to frostbite, prevention is far more important than cure. Improving peripheral blood circulation is an important part of preventing and treating frostbite.

When you engage in outdoor activities for a long time, you should pay special attention to keeping your hands, feet, face and ears warm, and be sure to protect yourself from cold and water. For those parts that are prone to frostbite or have had frostbite before, you can apply protective agents such as Vaseline to prevent them. Do not base your treatment on whether you feel cold or not.

Wear loose clothing, not too tight, to avoid poor peripheral circulation;

You should strengthen your exercise on weekdays to improve your physical fitness and cold tolerance;

Some people have the habit of warming their hands and feet by burning them with fire or scalding them with hot water when they feel their hands and feet are cold, which is not conducive to the prevention of frostbite. It is also not advisable to rub snow or beat snow to keep warm in winter;

Drinking a small amount of alcohol can dilate blood vessels, but you should not drink alcohol in a cold environment because it will accelerate the loss of heat;

People with underlying diseases such as diabetes should pay attention to controlling their blood sugar. Diabetes is prone to complications of peripheral vascular disease. In winter, special attention should be paid to the hands and feet to prevent serious consequences due to negligence.

2. Treatment

The treatment for frostbite is mainly to dilate blood vessels, promote healing and prevent infection.

There are many types of drugs that dilate blood vessels. Doctors will choose to administer them orally or intravenously depending on the situation.

To promote healing, the main methods are to apply ointments and keep warm. If the epidermis of the frostbite is intact, you can apply frostbite cream and warm compress several times a day (do not apply hot compress, which may aggravate the inflammatory reaction);

If there are signs of local infection in the frostbite, you can apply Bactroban externally or take antibacterial drugs. When frostbite is severe and blisters occur, the treatment method is similar to that of burn blisters. Preserving the outer skin of the blisters is conducive to healing.