What is it?

Chilblains can be defined as a cold injury that is, while painful, produces little or no permanent impairment. The condition features as red, swollen skin that is tender, little bit high in local temperature, and might itch. The condition can worsen to an aching, prickly (typically pin and needle) sensation, and then feeling of numbness. Chilblain can get developed within a few hours if the sensitive skin is exposed to chilled or cold.

Chilblains, as a term is an old English that was compounded from chill and blain, an archaic word for a inflamed bulging or sore on the body. Chilblain is also referred to as pernio or perniosis. This is small, itchy, painful swelling, which generally appear on the skin after several hours when the skin is exposed to cold temperatures . Therefore, they tend to develop during the winter weather. 

The condition is more likely to strike on the extremities like toe, finger, nose and earlobe since they are the first areas to catch cold. Other areas of the skin like the heel, thigh and lower leg is also at risk but in extreme temperatures.

The obvious first aid treatment of chilblain is stopping exposure to cold, removing any wet or constrictive clothing, carefully washing and drying the injured area, elevating it, covering it with layers of loose warm clothes and allow the affected part to restore its own natural heat/re-warm.

Like other forms of cold injury like trench foot and frostbite, chilblain might occur with and without freezing of body cells. The young and the elderly people are particularly prone to cold injury. The alcohol steps-up the risks of cold injury those can lead to loss of body parts and even to fatal condition.

Causes of Chilblains

The common causes of chilblain include the following:

Chilblains are generally caused by some abnormal reactions of the body to the cold.

If the skin is chilled and then immediately followed by instant warming such as a gas-fire, chilblains may develop.

Chilblain is more common in the people who are more susceptible to get allergies – however, exact cause for this is not entirely clear.

Poor nutrition can also result in such conditions.

Some experts believe that the hormonal changes and some connective tissue and/or bone marrow problems can also cause chilblain.

The people at risks involve young adults working field or in cold conditions like butchers.

People having poor blood circulation, inadequate diets, or an allergic responses to low temperatures are vulnerable to chilblains.

Other contributing components include dietary, hormonal imbalances and people suffering from anemia.

Typical symptoms of chilblains

There are some typical signs and symptoms related to chilblain are as follows:

Chilblain appears as a small itchy, red area on the skin. In some cases, the skin over chilblains might blister that may delay healing. This might show possible secondary infection and finger skin inflammation. The chilblain becomes ulcerated and infected as in some cases. Chilblain becomes increasingly tender as they get congested and turn to some dark blue color and then, it shows burning sensation on the skin. In severe cases of chilblain, there might be ulceration. Toe skin inflammation and other affected area swollen are common symptoms. Sometimes the skin will break down leaving a small ulcer that is prone to infection.

Treatment of Chilblains

It can be cured. Here is list of the ways for treating Chilblains:

Some particular topical steroids applied accurately for a couple of days might relieve itching and inflammation.

One should avoid scratching and should go for Calamine lotion.

Medication is sometimes used for preventing chilblain in people who got recurring chilblain.

A drug called nifedipine is said to dilate (widen) the small blood vessels and hence help preventing chilblain.

Lanolin or something similar to that can be rubbed onto the feet and this might assist healing chilblain and to regain body heat.

Treating broken skin on chilblains with topical antibiotic lotions can also help.

The best remedy is to avoid having the chilblains problem is at the first place. This can be done by wearing appropriate apparels to protect against the cold.