A friend's fingers are numb, pale, and frostbitten. How should you warm them up?
Warm frostbitten skin in warm, not hot, water, and never rub it with snow or hold it to a fire.
- Rub them with snow so they warm up slowly
- Hold them close to the campfire or a heater
- Soak them in warm, not hot, water and don't rub them ✔
Why: Rubbing, even with snow, hurts frozen skin more. Numb fingers can't feel heat, so a fire or heater can burn them without anyone noticing. Soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes, and get help from a doctor.
Huh, didn't know that: Soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes, and get help from a doctor.
What do you get if you cross a snowman and a shark? Frostbite.
References
Answer: Soak them in warm, not hot, water and don't rub them. Rubbing, even with snow, hurts frozen skin more. Numb fingers can't feel heat, so a fire or heater can burn them without anyone noticing. Soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes, and get help from a doctor.
- CDC: Preventing Frostbite www.cdc.gov/winter-weather/prevention/preventing-frostbite.html
Place areas affected by frostbite in warm-to-touch water.
Checked 2026-10-09. - Mayo Clinic: Frostbite First Aid www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-frostbite/basics/art-20056653
If possible, soak the skin with frostbite in a tub or sink of warm water for about 30 minutes.
Checked 2026-10-09. - CDC: Frostbite Treatment Cautions www.cdc.gov/winter-weather/prevention/preventing-frostbite.html
Do not rub the frostbitten area with snow or massage it at all. This can cause more damage.
Checked 2026-10-09.
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