One cream performs very well in preventing frostbite in a clinical trial.
- Until now, solutions to prevent the onset of frostbite have been expensive and impractical.
- If this new cream passes all clinical trials, it could help people who have to stay in very cold places for a long time.
“Chilblains, caused by exposure to cold, are due to a contraction of the small vessels of the skin to fight against the cold and do not result from the freezing of tissues, can we read as a definition on the website of the Health Insurance. They are most often located in the fingers and toes. They are manifested by small red patches, even purplish, which swell and itch. The itching increases when the affected area warms up”. To prevent the onset of frostbite, protect yourself from the cold, especially at the extremities of the body.
Frostbite can progress to more serious problems
But protecting yourself against it is not always easy when the temperatures are extreme and you stay outdoors for several hours, as skiers, hikers or sometimes even soldiers can do. And these frostbites are a real problem… Indeed, if they are not treated in time, they can progress to more serious injuries such as secondary infections or permanent nerve damage. In the worst situations, they can even go as far as the amputation of a limb.
A cream that protects the cells…
To relieve people exposed to the cold, researchers have therefore developed a cream to prevent the development of frostbite. Their work has been published in the journal ACS Applied Bio Materials. They conducted their experiments in the laboratory, on mice. They tested the necessary dosages to prevent this problem… In detail, they used two ingredients: dimethyl sulfoxide and polyvinyl alcohol which respectively prevent the formation of ice crystals inside the cells and in the spaces between the cells. , which can damage the membranes. Finally, with these two components, they found the right formula, capable of protecting the cells of the affected limb. Finally, they mixed these ingredients with a cream based on aloe vera already marketed.
…and reduces the size of wounds and lesions
To test the effectiveness of their cream, they applied it to rodents about fifteen minutes before exposing them to intense cold. Result: the size of wounds, tissue damage and inflammation due to frostbite were smaller in mice that had received this cream. Another benefit of this miracle potion: the healing of chilblains was faster.
The dosage of the cream remains to be determined
But for the cream to be effective in preventing the development of frostbite, it must be applied fifteen minutes before exposure to cold, no more. Indeed, the scientists observed that it lost its effectiveness if this delay was increased to thirty minutes. For now, this is the only indication as to the dosage of their product. Researchers have yet to figure out how much to put on and how often to reapply it for it to be most effective.
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