Wear Proper Clothing to Prevent Cold Injury
To prevent getting too cold, wear proper clothing and shoes, such
as:
- A hat and face mask. Up to 80% of total body heat
loss is from your head and neck areas.
- Layers of clothing to keep
you warm and dry.
- Clothing made of wool, polypropylene, down, or
Thinsulate. These are good insulators and will prevent loss of body heat even
when the fabric gets wet.
- Wind- and waterproof outer layers to keep
you dry.
- Wool socks and waterproof boots that fit well. Socks,
boots, and shoes must fit closely but not be tight or have any pressure areas.
Smooth out all wrinkles in your socks when you put them on.
- Mittens
rather than gloves so your fingers are together and can be rolled into a
fist.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Last Revised | May 11, 2011 |