Local cold injury is not uncommon in areas with unfavourable climatic conditions. The significance of this problem is associated with a large number of such injuries, complexity of their treatment, long period of disability and high level of disablement among the population. Aggravating factors of cold injuries include metabolic abnormalities that can lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases, and, consequently, to microcirculation disorders. The aim of this paper was to trace the dynamics of the cellular structures of the dermis in the process of recovery from local cold injury in rats with metabolic syndrome, compared with the recovery process in healthy rats. Materials and methods. The study was conducted on outbred rats. The development of obesity and metabolic disorders was modelled by including a 30 % sucrose solution in the diet instead of water, as well as saturated fats. Local cold injury was modelled by applying a metal weight 2.5 cm in diameter cooled in liquid nitrogen to the depilated skin of the animals’ backs. Cell dynamics was studied in the papillary and reticular dermis as well as in the reticular dermis on the border with the hypoderm of the damaged area and on its periphery using a morphometric grid. Results. The data obtained suggest that regenerative changes after local cold injury in rats are associated with accumulation of cells on the border of the reticular dermis and the hypoderm of the damaged area. In addition, we observed a later onset of the peak of the migration process and a larger number of cells involved in migration at metabolic syndrome than during regeneration of the wound surface in the absence of metabolic disorder. It is quite likely that all the dermal zones under study, especially the dermis on the border with the hypoderm, are involved in the regeneration process of the affected area, whereas on the periphery of the damaged area, it is mainly the dermal zone located on the border of the reticular dermis and the hypoderm that is involved.