Embarrassing Illnesses

The following advice may help prevent chilblains:

• Stop smoking. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict (get narrower), which can make chilblains worse.
• Avoid medicines that may constrict blood vessels, such as caffeine and decongestants.
• Keep active. This helps improve your circulation.
• Wear warm clothes and insulate your hands, feet and legs. Wearing long johns, long boots, tights, leg warmers or long socks will help. If you get cold feet in bed, wear a pair of clean socks.
• Avoid tight shoes and boots as these can restrict the circulation to toes and feet.
• Moisturise your feet regularly. This stops them drying out and the skin cracking.
• In cold weather, eat at least one hot meal during the day. This will help warm your whole body.
• Warm your shoes on the radiator before you put them on. Make sure damp shoes are dry before wearing them. 
• Warm your hands before going outdoors by soaking them in warm water for several minutes and drying them thoroughly. Wear cotton-lined waterproof gloves if necessary.
• Turn up the central heating. Try to keep one room in the house warm and avoid drafts.
• If you are diabetic, give yourself regular foot checks (or ask someone else to do this). Diabetics may not be able to feel their feet and could have septic chilblains without realising.

For more information, contact The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists on 020 7234 8620 or visit the Feet for Life website.