Mayo Clinic Minute: Don't get bit by frostbite

As the temperatures drop, your risk of cold-related injury, like frostbite, can go way up.

Dr. Sanj Kakar, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic hand and wrist surgeon, says frostbite is more common than many people think.

If the windchill drops below negative 15 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not unheard of in the northern half of the U.S., frostbite can set in within half an hour. The most vulnerable areas to frostbite are your nose, ears, fingers and toes.

In the worst cases, the tissue may die, and you may need surgery to remove it. So who’s most at risk?
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