What are nonfreezing tissue injuries?

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Nonfreezing tissue injuries are skin injuries caused by the cold. If your skin gets so cold it freezes, it's called frostbite. Common types of nonfreezing tissue injuries are:

Frostnip
Immersion foot (trench foot)
Chilblains

Frostnip is an injury in which your skin gets so cold that it turns numb, swollen, and red.

Treat frostnip by warming the area for a few minutes
The area will hurt and itch as it warms up
Sometimes, the area may be sensitive to cold for a long time after

Immersion foot is an injury from being in wet, cold socks or shoes for several days. It's sometimes called trench foot.

Your foot gets pale, damp, swollen, numb, and cold
To treat immersion foot, gently warm, dry, and elevate your foot
Your foot will become red and painful as it warms, and you may get blisters
For weeks after, your foot may be very sensitive and sweaty
Doctors may give antibiotics to prevent infection

Prevent immersion foot by:

Wearing shoes and boots that fit well
Changing your socks daily
Keeping your feet dry

Chilblains are places on your skin where you get itching, pain, redness, or swelling from being out in dry cold weather.

Chilblains are uncommon but not serious
You get itching, pain, redness, and sometimes blisters, usually on your fingers or the fronts of your legs
Treat chilblains by staying out of the cold
Avoiding nicotine may help prevent chilblains