Frostbite is best defined as...

• A. Superficial freezing, reversible
• B. Dehydration due to cold
• C. Numbness only
• D. Freezing of skin and tissue

Answer: (D)

Frostbite is tissue freezing from exposure to very cold temperatures, so it involves freezing of skin and deeper tissues rather than just the surface. When skin and underlying layers freeze, ice crystals form in cells and interstitial spaces, which can damage tissue and create a risk of lasting injury if severe. This makes “freezing of skin and tissue” the best description. By contrast, frostnip is a milder, superficial freezing of the skin that’s typically reversible, and numbness alone is a symptom rather than the full definition. Dehydration isn’t what frostbite describes.