Conditions
Chilblains
Chilblains (otherwise knows as pernio) are caused by inflammation of the blood vessels in the skin, and can become painful and itchy. Untreated they can crack the skin, leading to infections. They are caused when an exposed body part, typically the feet or the hands, moves from an extremely cold environment to a hot one. The most common example of this is when a person with cold hands runs them under the hot tap – frequently leading to swelling and tingling in the hands, but also potentially to the formation of chilblains. The chilblain is caused by the blood vessels restricting blood flow during extreme cold, but being exposed to warmth that causes an unexpected expansion. The result is the leaking of fluid into surrounding tissues. Treatments range from simple anti-septic solutions (such as iodine) to prevent infection through to antibiotics for already infected ulcers.
Comments and Questions
You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments & Questions are reviewed by moderators, but if you see anything on the site that worries you, please report it and one of our moderators will look at it as soon as possible.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
Arghhh.. I have them on the joints of my toes. My bad, I wore Converse twice whilst dog walking recently. I haven't had them for a few years, largely because I have been (exclusively) wearing steel toe capped boots. They might not be the height of sartorial elegance but they do create temperature stable atmosphere for your feet. Wearing steels keeps my feet warm in the winter and cooler in the summer.
I currently have chilblains on my toes!! This is strange but like some of the other comments I would like to tell others out there that the onion trick really works!! I've just rubbed an onion cut in half over the affected areas and ALL of the itching has gone. A huge huge relief. What I have done now is broken up the onion and put them in some warm socks (Yeah gross I know but still, if you have chilblains and experience the extreme itching its worth it!) and put them on. The onion surrounding the chilblains in the socks has helped SOSO much. Highly recomended!!
i suffer every winter from a massive chilblain on my side,it is very itchy and sore,i am a plasterer so i spend most of the day sweating and then working in cold conditions any advice
I find soaking my feet in a mustard foot bath with water as hot as you can bear it always works for me.
I'm sixteen, eat a lot of fruit and veg, (have a lot of vitamin C) and dance for about 5 hours a week. I would say I'm slim, a healthy person. My blood pressure is normal, (whereas in some of my family members have it high) and have no other medical history I can think of- so why do I keep getting chilblains!? :( Last year the doctor gave me some cream, however it did nothing, and I ended up suffering from November-May. I've tried so hard to keep my toes warm this year, but they've just swollen, and they're so sore! Any ideas what might stop the itching? Or prevent it on the first place?
I have had this on and off since my second child was born 24 years ago. I can go for several years with none and then it starts up again like now I am living in a very damp..but not overly cold place. My feet have always gotten either cold or hot very easily. In the summer they overheat. Anyway I have tried the remedy of the juice from a raw onion rubbed over the affected areas for several minutes will ease the itching within a few minutes. I add to that one 325 mg "aspirin" not acetominaphin or ibufrofin but acetesylic acid (aspirin). I take a raw yellow cooking onion that is kept in a cool location. slice into it and make hatch marks so there is a lot of juice. gently rub this over all toes/fingers. in a few minutes the itch should subside. I would not recommend this on the face. I do 2 sessions/evening and over 2-3 nights. Out of curiosity I would really like to know why dampness has such an effect on this.
Hi, I have really swollen, itchy, red, hot toes that get quite painful.It startes on one foot and certain toes and then spreads to others. Is this chilblains?
hi i have the problem of chilblains in extreme winters, i try to control myself not to rub while itching. but now i find out that even my son 4 year old has also got same problem of chilblains in toe and he is too small for that to control himself while itching. he goes to school and that he can't avoid ,twice a day i dip his foot in warm water of turnip boiled within and add salt, it gives him releif for sometime. while sleeping whenever his foot gets warm it starts itching. is there any other treatment that we can do. becoz i have gone thru this and i know it goes with the winter only. please give some suggestion for my son .
I use lidocane numbing spray, (it's for waxing and tattooing) i buy it at the local beauty supply store it's like $10 but worth every penny! Also in a pinch Ambesol works too but it's gooey and mint flavored.
I have very stiff fingers for the last 3/4 years especially in the winter, my doctor says i have junior arthritis as i am only 17, in the last 1/2 years i have been diagnosed with chilblains. These Are Like Swollen Red Pimples on my fingers which usually cause swollen stiff joints. My doctor thinks is linked somewhere with my psoriasis which i have suffered badly with since the ages of 1 or younger. He has prescribed my heart medication and creams but nothing seems to be working and as the winter is approaching with a vengeance in Ireland this year i was hoping someone would share their cures and stories with me. Leonne :)
hi am 23 years old and not shore if I have this but have very itchy arms,feat,legs,fingers its like small juicy spots I have them for 5 month now and my GP said its scabies trying everything but then read over here how to check if u have scabies and I dont have so am wondering if it is this or something else please give me some answers
Hi,I have a form of chill blains that GP's can't describe...or so they said to me.I have chill blains all year round cold or warm and they only ever go when its around 15 - 16 degree celcius.I would like to know if there is some way of treating this? I have used 7 different creams all of which didn't work. Please please please reply to this as it is beginning to get really embarrassing x
How can I reach you? I have the exact same thing, mine lasts 3-4 months at a time, starting Nov1st til June
also it is chronic pernio or chronic chilblains. Just make sure you don;t have joint pain, sores in your mouth, rash on the face ( butterfly rash) if you do, go to a rheumatologist
Okay not sure if im on the right one but i am 17 years old and my hands a longer than most of the boys in my grade is this normal ?
Important Notice
The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here
