Q: Due to neurological symptoms, I don't feel heat of cold as much as normal people, but I really like the cold, so I took a shower and after 3 minutes I had to turn the water hot, because my skin was purple. So I was just wondering about what temperature I begin to be at risk of side effects :) any help would be greatly appreciated
A: Skin damage like frostbite is done when your skin is exposed to temperatures below freezing (32 degrees F) for too long. Frostbitten skin becomes cold, white, hard, and starts tingling. The other problem might be hypothermia, but you start heavy shivering and your hands would become numb and difficult to move before you got to this stage. So you would notice if it was a problem. So just taking a really cold shower won't hurt, though for most of us it would be pretty uncomfortable!