The doctor of Saratov Medical University told what is dangerous hypothermia in winter
12 January 2026
Associate Professor of the Department of Hospital Therapy at the Razumovsky State Medical University, general practitioner, cardiologist Maria Tyapkina explained why it is impossible to walk in winter without a hat and with bare ankles.
With the onset of cold weather, the risk of hypothermia increases. Hypothermia (hypothermia) is a condition in which the body temperature becomes lower than it is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. As a rule, hypothermia occurs with prolonged exposure to cold, when its own heat generation resources are exhausted, and body temperature decreases below 35 ° C.
"The main causes of hypothermia are exposure to low temperature, high humidity and strong wind for a long time, bathing in cold water, prolonged exposure to wet or wet clothes in an open space at temperatures below 10 ° C. The body is more susceptible to hypothermia with insufficient nutrition (for example, when following strict diets, starvation), alcohol intoxication, after injuries and blood loss," said Maria Tyapkina, an expert at Saratov Medical University.
Hypothermia can reduce the body's resistance, making it more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. This can lead to a more severe course of acute respiratory viral infections, to the development and exacerbation of existing chronic inflammatory diseases of the ENT organs, respiratory tract, and genitourinary system. As Maria Tyapkina explained, blood vessels constrict under the influence of low temperature, which can lead to increased blood pressure, increased stress on the heart, and, as a result, exacerbation of heart failure and coronary heart disease. In patients with chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchial asthma, hypothermia can cause increased coughing and shortness of breath. The doctor paid special attention to the youth habit of walking in the cold with bare ankles and giving up hats.
"The fashionable youth trend for cropped trousers and open ankles, including in the cold season, appeared in Europe, but the weather conditions in Russia are very different from the European climate. With regular hypothermia of the legs, infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system appear and worsen - pyelonephritis, cystitis, adnexitis, etc. These diseases acquired in youth can further affect the reproductive function of the body, worsen during pregnancy, and endanger the health and life of the mother and fetus," explains the expert from Saratov Medical University.
Prolonged and regular exposure to the street in the cold season without a hat can also lead to negative consequences. When exposed to cold air, local immunity decreases, which can lead to the development of diseases of the ENT organs - otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis, etc. Headache, trigeminal and facial nerve neuralgia can also be an unpleasant consequence of walking without a hat. The vessels of the scalp react to frost with a spasm, which disrupts the nutrition of the hair follicles. As a result, the hair becomes brittle, dull, and hair loss may begin.
Winter is not the time for fashion experiments. You don't need to risk the most valuable thing you have — your health.
With the onset of cold weather, the risk of hypothermia increases. Hypothermia (hypothermia) is a condition in which the body temperature becomes lower than it is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. As a rule, hypothermia occurs with prolonged exposure to cold, when its own heat generation resources are exhausted, and body temperature decreases below 35 ° C.
"The main causes of hypothermia are exposure to low temperature, high humidity and strong wind for a long time, bathing in cold water, prolonged exposure to wet or wet clothes in an open space at temperatures below 10 ° C. The body is more susceptible to hypothermia with insufficient nutrition (for example, when following strict diets, starvation), alcohol intoxication, after injuries and blood loss," said Maria Tyapkina, an expert at Saratov Medical University.
Hypothermia can reduce the body's resistance, making it more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. This can lead to a more severe course of acute respiratory viral infections, to the development and exacerbation of existing chronic inflammatory diseases of the ENT organs, respiratory tract, and genitourinary system. As Maria Tyapkina explained, blood vessels constrict under the influence of low temperature, which can lead to increased blood pressure, increased stress on the heart, and, as a result, exacerbation of heart failure and coronary heart disease. In patients with chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchial asthma, hypothermia can cause increased coughing and shortness of breath. The doctor paid special attention to the youth habit of walking in the cold with bare ankles and giving up hats.
"The fashionable youth trend for cropped trousers and open ankles, including in the cold season, appeared in Europe, but the weather conditions in Russia are very different from the European climate. With regular hypothermia of the legs, infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system appear and worsen - pyelonephritis, cystitis, adnexitis, etc. These diseases acquired in youth can further affect the reproductive function of the body, worsen during pregnancy, and endanger the health and life of the mother and fetus," explains the expert from Saratov Medical University.
Prolonged and regular exposure to the street in the cold season without a hat can also lead to negative consequences. When exposed to cold air, local immunity decreases, which can lead to the development of diseases of the ENT organs - otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis, etc. Headache, trigeminal and facial nerve neuralgia can also be an unpleasant consequence of walking without a hat. The vessels of the scalp react to frost with a spasm, which disrupts the nutrition of the hair follicles. As a result, the hair becomes brittle, dull, and hair loss may begin.
Winter is not the time for fashion experiments. You don't need to risk the most valuable thing you have — your health.
