Effect of wet clothing removal on skin temperature in subjects exposed to cold and wrapped in a vapor barrier: a human, randomized, crossover field study.

Background: Prehospital care for cold-stressed and hypothermic patients focuses on effective insulation and rewarming. When encountering patients wearing wet clothing, rescuers can either remove the wet clothing before isolating the patient or isolate the patient using a vapor barrier. Wet clothing removal increases skin exposure but avoids the need to heat the wet clothing during rewarming.