A person who has frostbite should be covered with a warm blanket. The victim should not be warmed in front of a fire nor rubbed with snow. Once the victim is safely sheltered, hot beverages are helpful. The frostbitten area should be gently washed, dried, wrapped in sterile bandages, and kept meticulously clean to prevent infection. As soon as frostbite is diagnosed, an antibiotic should be given.
Some authorities recommend an antitetanus injection also.
Reserpine given by mouth or injection may be used to dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow to the frostbitten part. Most people slowly improve over several months, although sometimes surgery is needed later to remove the dead tissues. Because a frostbitten area may appear larger and more severe than it will be weeks or months later, the decision to amputate is usually postponed until the area has had time to heal. Often, a person who has frostbitten feet must walk to safety. In most cases, if the feet can be protected from further freezing, walking on frozen feet is better than walking on feet that have been thawed.