Frostbite in Mouth From Nitrous Oxide [2025 Update]
Hundreds of teens, adolescents, and young adults are using nitrous oxide (also called laughing gas, whippets, hippie crack, or nangs) recreationally and experiencing frostbite and cold burns. Nitrous oxide reaches subzero temperatures in the canister, so many people are getting frostbite on their mouth, throat, and lips when they inhale it right from the can. People are also getting cold burns when the freezing canisters touch their hands, fingers, or thighs.
This article explores how nitrous oxide can cause frostbite and what the symptoms and stages of N2O cold burns are. It also discusses how people can treat these injuries and what legal options are available to recover compensation for their losses. Victims believe companies that make nitrous oxide canisters have misled them into thinking that whipped cream chargers are safe to use for fun and not warned them about possible injuries.
About Nitrous Oxide and Frostbite:
What is Frostbite From Nitrous Oxide?
Can Nitrous Oxide Cause Frostbite in Your Throat?
How Does Nitrous Oxide Cause Frostbite?
Signs and Symptoms of Frostbite From Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide and Frostbite Statistics
What Are the Stages of Nitrous Oxide Frostbite?
How to Treat Frostbite From Nitrous Oxide Use
King Law Is Accepting Nitrous Oxide Frostbite Cases
What is Frostbite From Nitrous Oxide?
Nitrous oxide, a colorless, odorless gas, can cause frostbite and cold burns in the mouth, throat, thigh, or hands. Nitrous oxide gas is compressed and stored in a pressurized cylinder, which brings the temperature down to as low as -40°F. When the gas is released from the cartridge, tank, or canister directly onto someone’s soft tissue, it can instantly cause a painful burn.
People who use nitrous oxide for legal purposes, such as making whipped cream, are at a much lower risk of getting frostbite in this way. However, people who use nitrous oxide for fun and to get high have a higher chance of getting a cold burn, as they may inhale the gas directly from the can. Victims may also get frostbite on their thighs, hands, or other parts of their body that come into contact with the cold canister.
Many people believe that nitrous oxide sellers have been dishonest about the lawful purpose and safety profile of whipped cream chargers. As such, a high number of people have been using nitrous oxide recreationally and have experienced frostbite injuries.
Can Nitrous Oxide Cause Frostbite in Your Throat?
Breathing in nitrous oxide directly from a canister or cylinder can cause frostbite on your lips, mouth, soft palate, vocal cords, uvula, or throat. The subzero temperatures of the nitrous oxide can instantly freeze the soft, moist tissues in your mouth and throat.
The victim may have trouble swallowing, talking, or, in severe cases, breathing. The irritation from the nitrous oxide may also cause the person’s throat to swell or close up. These symptoms may require emergency treatment to ensure the person can get enough oxygen.
How Does Nitrous Oxide Cause Frostbite?
When in a pressurized cylinder, the nitrous oxide is condensed and its temperature drops to sub-zero temperatures. When the gas is released from the cylinder, it is still usually dozens of degrees below zero. The freezing-cold nitrous oxide touches the soft tissues and brings their temperature down very fast, which causes a burn.
Inhaling nitrous oxide directly from the canister can cause frostbite injuries to the throat, lips, or soft palate, because the compressed gas has not had a chance to warm up yet. Victims have gotten frostbite all over their bodies from coming into contact with small N2O chargers as well as large tanks.
People who release the gas into a balloon before huffing it are at a lower risk, because the nitrous oxide warms while in the balloon. However, some people prefer to huff the nitrous oxide directly out of the can, because it means they get a higher concentration of it in their system.
Signs and Symptoms of Frostbite From Nitrous Oxide
Recognizing the signs of frostbite from nitrous oxide early on can help victims get the treatment they need right away. Some common symptoms of nitrous oxide cold burns include the following:
- Loss of feeling (numbness or tingling) in their mouth or throat after inhaling N2O
- Pain when swallowing
- Voice changes (muffled or hoarse-sounding voice)
- White or hard spots in the mouth
- Red, blistered, or swollen tissue
- Peeling skin or open sores
- Breathing problems due to throat or vocal cord pain or swelling
- Shooting pain after a period of numbness
These symptoms may come on gradually or right away after someone inhales nitrous oxide from the cylinder or balloon. The person should immediately go to the doctor to get evaluated and treated if they notice any of these or other worrying symptoms. The person should make sure to tell their doctor that they huffed nitrous oxide and think they have a frostbite injury.
Nitrous Oxide and Frostbite Statistics
Nitrous oxide misuse is a growing trend, and, with it, is driving up the number of frostbite injuries experienced by people who use laughing gas to get high. According to a recent estimate, about 100 cases of nitrous oxide-related frostbite are reported each year. However, the true number of cold burn cases may be higher, because many people may not know they have frostbite or do not want to risk getting in trouble by coming forward for treatment. Michigan’s emergency departments signaled a four- to five-fold increase in nitrous oxide injuries in 2023 compared to the rates in 2019. Medical professionals are beginning to gain and spread awareness about the uptick in treatments needed for nitrous oxide injuries like frostbite and cold burns.
In 2024, researchers noted that both men and women are prone to frostbite from nitrous. The researchers noted there was an equal amount of men and women with frostbite injuries from nitrous oxide use reported in scientific studies. The median age of the affected patients in those researched cases was about 27.5 years of age. The authors noted that most patients went to the doctor within 12 hours after they started experiencing frostbite symptoms. The patients had cold burns in many different places on their bodies, including their legs, hands, mouth, throat, and fingers.
What Are the Stages of Nitrous Oxide Frostbite?
Frostbite from nitrous oxide happens in stages, similar to what would happen in scalding injuries or frostbite from environmental exposure. One type of skin damage that can occur from nitrous oxide inhalation is frostnip. Frostnip involves numbness, pain, and tingling. The affected skin is cold and damaged, but it has a greater chance of getting better if the skin is warmed up again. In some cases, the person may also need steroids to help reduce the swelling and return their skin to normal. At this point, the person does not have full-blown frostbite, but they should still seek medical attention to prevent further injuries.
Frostbite from nitrous oxide is categorized up to four degrees of severity, just like with burns from fire or hot water. There are two main types of frostbite: superficial and deep. Superficial frostbite makes the person’s skin feel tingly or numb and appear white or discolored; however, the skin still feels cold and is intact. In deep frostbite, the person’s skin may feel painful and hot then lose sensation completely. They may have large blisters on their skin, and their skin may turn strange colors and look waxy.
When these frostbite injuries occur in the mouth and throat, they can potentially be life-threatening. The person’s airways may become blocked from the swelling or from tissue that is blistering and peeling off. Some nitrous oxide frostbite victims have required surgery and emergency medical treatments. Anyone who thinks they have a frostbite or frostnip injury after inhaling nitrous oxide should seek medical attention right away, as some of these symptoms can worsen without prompt treatment.
How to Treat Frostbite From Nitrous Oxide Use
Someone who has frostbite from nitrous oxide should immediately get treatment for the injury. The first aid they use should align with the type and severity of the frostbite wound they have. Some of these wounds can get worse if left alone or if the wrong type of intervention is used, so acting promptly and appropriately is key. Talking to a doctor right away can help the person ensure they are taking the correct steps to treat their frostbite.
First Aid for Nitrous Oxide Frostbite
Here are some of the first aid steps to follow if you think you have a frostbite injury after inhaling nitrous oxide or coming into contact with the canister:
- Do not continue to inhale or use nitrous oxide.
- Go to the doctor or call or text 911 right away, especially if your throat or chest feel tight or you are short of breath.
Even minor injuries should be treated by a doctor immediately after you notice symptoms. The doctor can identify what type and severity of frostbite you have and make sure you are using the correct treatment to address it.
Medical Treatment for Frostbite
Doctors may use a variety of treatments for nitrous oxide frostbite wounds. First, the medical team will want to make sure the patient is able to breathe and has a clear airway. They may also apply topical steroids (like a steroid cream) to bring down the swelling when appropriate. Steroids might also be given in pill form for severe swelling or if the area cannot be reached easily. Some nitrous oxide patients who had frostbite on their inner thighs had to have the tissue removed and to have a skin graft put on.
The doctors may prescribe antibiotics or pain medication to lower the risk of infection and keep the patient comfortable. If the person is having trouble breathing, the doctors may give them oxygen treatments where they breathe in warm, humid air. Severe breathing issues may require surgery or intubation (a breathing tube) to correct.
After the initial treatment is completed, the patient may be asked to follow up with their medical providers to make sure they are recovering properly. The healing process can last days or weeks, depending on how badly the person was frostbitten.
King Law Is Accepting Nitrous Oxide Frostbite Cases
King Law is providing free case reviews for people who developed frostbite after using nitrous oxide recreationally. Many nitrous oxide companies were dishonest with how they sold and marketed their products, which encouraged people to use nitrous oxide for fun. Companies like Whip-It! and Galaxy Gas likely failed to issue adequate warnings about the risks of inhaling nitrous oxide.
Many people who used nitrous oxide recreationally got frostbite or cold burns, including on their mouths, throats, lips, hands, inner thighs, legs, and fingers. Victims may qualify for compensation for their losses, including the costs of getting medical treatment and the long-term impacts of having frostbite.
Speak With a Nitrous Oxide Lawyer Today
If you got frostbite after using nitrous oxide for fun, you may qualify for compensation. Our law firm understands what you are going through, and we are here to help you fight for justice. Call us today at (585) 496-2648 to talk to our intake specialists and get set up with a free case evaluation. Our personal injury lawyers have experience going up against large corporations that made dangerous nitrous oxide products. We can help you file a lawsuit against the nitrous company who hurt you.