Avoid using water above 104 °F (40 °C), as extreme heat can make your ice burn worse. As your skin soaks, you may experience a prickling sensation. This indicates that your skin is thawing and that the sensation is returning.
After 20 minutes out of the soak, if you find that your burn has started to heal and the pain has started to subside, you may not need to repeat the soak. Room temperature is generally considered to be 70 °F (21 °C). If you are unable to rest in a room at around this temperature, cover your ice burn loosely with a blanket or extra clothing.
If you repeat the 20 minute warm water soak, wait another 20 minutes after you get out of the soak before moving on to the next step. If your symptoms do not subside after a second soak and 20 minute rest, contact a medical professional immediately.
If holding a warm compress on the burn is painful, place your burned skin gently under a warm blanket instead.
Aloe vera may also help your skin form new cells quicker. [9] X Research source
To keep your wound clean, make sure that you change the gauze every 48 hours. [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source When you change the gauze, you can rinse the burn gently with room temperature water to clean it and reapply aloe vera as needed. Keep your ice burn covered until it is almost completely healed and the pain has subsided. Minor ice burns should heal completely within 2 weeks. [12] X Research source
In very severe cases, you might also experience an inability to use your muscles in the affected area. [13] X Research source You may also notice the signs of an infection, including pus or green discharge, fever, and/or increasing pain. [14] X Research source While it is possible for minor ice burns to blister and crack, this is generally an indication that your ice burn is severe. Even if your ice burn is minor, cracking and/or blistering can prevent you from being able to properly clean and care for the wound. Therefore, you should seek medical attention if your wound is open, regardless of the cause or severity. [15] X Research source
While both ice burns and frostbite can cause your skin to turn white, red, or pale yellow, generally, only frostbite will turn your skin blue or black. [17] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Don’t rewarm frostbitten tissue if there is a possibility of refreezing before reaching emergency care. Don’t rub the frostbitten area because it could cause further tissue damage.
If both the skin and tissue are damaged, your doctor may also perform a procedure to remove some or all of the burned area. [20] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source In severe cases, your doctor may also conduct an X-ray, bone scan, or MRI to determine the extent of the damage. A severe ice burn can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to heal. If you also have frostbite, it is possible that the impacted area will never fully recover.
