The Consequences of Dry Ice Touching Your Skin
When dry ice touches your skin, it receives an ice burn.
Has your skin touched dry ice? If not, we recommend it doesn’t. A burn from dry ice is unlike a burn from fire or a stovetop. Instead, when dry ice touches your skin, it becomes frostbite. It can quickly freeze your skin from a moment of contact. Read on to learn the consequences of dry ice touching your skin.
Understanding Dry Ice
What is dry ice? It’s made of carbon dioxide, which is the gas we exhale. It develops when you freeze liquid CO2 in a tank at -79 Celsius under high pressure. Because of its effects, you may use dry ice as a coolant, and it has recently been utilized to maintain vaccines excellent during transport. Also, dry ice is responsible for the foggy effect on stage at concerts.
Furthermore, you will probably notice fumes coming out of dry ice. Sublimation refers to dry ice changing its state from solid to gas. In addition, dry ice doesn’t melt like regular ice because CO2 exists as a gas, not a liquid. So, dry ice converts into a gas rather than melting and becoming a liquid.
Consequences of Touching Dry Ice
When dry ice touches your skin, it receives an ice burn. An ice burn typically happens after exposure to freezing temperatures for a long time. It’s also known as an ice burn because the injury is similar to an actual burn – red, itchy, sore, or sometimes numb for days. Since dry ice is so freezing, it can rupture your skin cells and die when it touches the human skin.
Unfortunately, the blood vessels near the burnt skin reduce the blood flow to the area and lead to numbness. Moreover, dry ice can destroy nerve endings within minutes at extreme temperatures.
Ice Burn Prevention & Treatment
It’s better to be safe and never consume dry ice. In fact, eating dry ice is different from eating regular ice. What happens when dry ice touches your skin? Dry ice may burn the inside of your mouth and intestines severely. So, use protective gloves to avoid touching dry ice. In case of an ice burn, a standard treatment is to soak the injured area in lukewarm water. Remember, avoid using hot water since it can worsen the burn. Lastly, aloe vera cream can help soothe the discomfort.
Order Your Dry Ice Online Today!
Dry Ice Corp is the largest regional supplier of dry ice and related products in the Northeastern United States. Our ice is fresh and delivered right to your doorstep. We are happy to help you determine the best way to ship your goods, whether you have a huge number of cookies or a single pie, and help you select the perfect amount of dry ice for the job. Give us a call at (201) 767-3200, or contact us online for a quote. To connect with us online, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
