Do you think I have frostnip on my face?

Question

My skin does not cope well with the cold - I grew up in warmer climes than the UK! Today I went diving in a lake - was about 8deg and I was underwater for half an hour. I declined a second dive - I need it to be a bit warmer! Now the skin on my face is red and swollen in blotches. It stings when I moisturize... Frost nip?

Answer 1

Frost or ice needs temperatures below zero degrees centigrade (ice melts at zero).

What happens is that the skin tries to keep warm by opening up the capillaries for better blood flow, your face will look flushed or almost blue for a while but I can assure you it is nothing to worry about. I dive in waters about 4degrees C (that's the coldest it can get below one metre) and sometimes my face is the same. You lose so much heat from your head it is unbelievable...try wearing a dive hood to keep your head warm and that way you wont get loads of blood trying to rush up and keep you cranial organs from getting cold

Answer 2

It might be frost nip. You could ask your doctor, or someone who would know. It will probably go away in a few days.