Which color changes are typical of severe frostbite?

• A. Red
• B. White, gray, black, or purple
• C. Blue
• D. Green

Answer: (B)

Color change in frostbite reflects how blood flow and tissue viability change as the injury progresses. In severe frostbite, the affected skin loses perfusion and becomes pale and waxy (white). As tissue damage advances and cells die, the color shifts to gray or black, indicating necrosis, and a purple tint can appear from hemorrhage within the frozen tissue or during later thawing. This sequence—white, gray, black, and purple—captures the progression to severe tissue death. Red is more typical of milder frostbite or the inflammatory return of blood flow after warming, while blue or green are not the characteristic end-stage colors of severe frostbite.