Instantly Freeze in Space?

Space is very cold, much colder than the coldest measured temperature on Earth by far.  This leads to the misconception that without a proper suit, you will instantly freeze in space.  There are several Hollywood movies that push this misconception as truth by showing scenes of people freezing very quickly in space.  A perfect example of this is the movie Mission to Mars.  Tim Robbins character, in an attempt to save his wife from an impossible rescue attempt, removes his helmet while in space.  His face freezes instantly and he dies.  But does this actually happen?  Not the way shown in the movie.

Don't get me wrong, one is still going to die by removing his/her helmet in space, but not by instantly freezing.  First, your body has its own internal energy we refer to has body heat.  This energy will transfer to the few particles in space, but it will take some time.  What is more likely to kill you is the lack of air.  Due to pressure differences, the air in your lungs will quickly expel and you'll have nothing to inhale.  You may see some blood vessels burst and your eyes are likely to be severely damaged, meaning loss of body heat is the least of your worries.

The point in all of this is that a human being without a protective suit in space will not die instantly.  He/she will still die, but instantly freezing won't happen.