Which description best matches frostbite-affected skin?

Which description best matches frostbite-affected skin?

• A. Pale, waxy appearing cold skin
• B. Red, hot skin
• C. Dry, flaky skin
• D. Swollen, painful skin

Answer: (A)

Frostbite happens when tissue is exposed to freezing temperatures, freezing the skin cells and causing strong vasoconstriction that cuts off blood flow. The hallmark is skin that is pale or white, cold to the touch, and has a hard, waxy feel, often with numbness. This pale, waxy, cold appearance fits frostbite best because it reflects frozen tissue and reduced blood flow, not inflammation or heat injury. Red and hot skin would point to heat exposure or infection, dry, flaky skin suggests dehydration or dermatitis, and swollen, painful skin can occur with many conditions but doesn’t describe the characteristic frostbitten surface.

Frostbite happens when tissue is exposed to freezing temperatures, freezing the skin cells and causing strong vasoconstriction that cuts off blood flow. The hallmark is skin that is pale or white, cold to the touch, and has a hard, waxy feel, often with numbness. This pale, waxy, cold appearance fits frostbite best because it reflects frozen tissue and reduced blood flow, not inflammation or heat injury. Red and hot skin would point to heat exposure or infection, dry, flaky skin suggests dehydration or dermatitis, and swollen, painful skin can occur with many conditions but doesn’t describe the characteristic frostbitten surface.