But plenty of the information applies to the outdoor enthusiast, as well. It's essentially a form of hypothermia affecting just a small part of the body. Environmental risk factors, Sallis writes, are low temperatures, high humidity, wind chill, high altitude, and prolonged exposure. Some drugs or physical conditions can make a person more vulnerable to frostbite, as can alcohol, because it increases blood flow to exposed parts by expanding the blood vessels, thus leading to greater heat loss. Alcohol and drugs can also make the person less likely to feel numbness or tingling, some warning signs of frostbite.
Mild cases are more likely to occur.
Surface lesions, called chilblains, occur when the surface of the skin is frozen. Though it can be painful and even leave a scar, surface frostbite generally stops there. It's the deeper frostbite, Sallis says, that concerns physicians, and that's not likely to occur at a game or while out skiing or running. That is the frostbite of lore, where gangrene can set in at a later time. But clinically, Sallis writes, the line between what's damaged, or gangrenous, and what's OK may not be determined for weeks or months after the injury.