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Chilblains are painful areas on the skin that may be red/blue, itchy, swollen or broken.
Where are chilblains found?
Chilblains are found on finger tips, hands, toes, feet (pressure areas), nose, earlobes.
What causes chilblains?
Predisposed people may get chilblains when exposed to extremes of temperature (hot or cold). This results in the constriction of small blood vessels and eventual tissue damage. This is known as the cyanotic stage.
Subsequent sudden warming causes these blood vessels to relax and the skin becomes pink and swollen. This is known as the hyperaemic stage.
Fresh exposure to cold will make the problem worse and result in swelling, possibly ulceration. This is known as the congestive stage.
Who are the people predisposed to chilblains ?
People with: -
- Poor blood supply / blood stasis
- Nutritional disorders
- Coagulational disorders
- Endocrine disorders
- Defective nervous control of blood vessels
- Inadequate clothing
How are chilblains treated?
- CYANOTIC STAGE - (early, blue colour) Mild rubefacients eg. iodine ointment, weak iodine
solution, iodine solution combined with TBCo. Used on unbroken skin. Heat should be used with
caution.
- HYPERAEMIC STAGE - (swollen and pink) Cooling and astringent solutions eg. calamine, burrows
solution, witch hazel.
- CONGESTIVE STAGE - (may be red/blue/purple/itchy) Rubefacients eg. Hirudoid, Lasonil. Note:
Not to be used on broken skin.
- BROKEN/ULCERATED CHILBLAINS - Depending on the severity, these may require a dressing.
It is essential that you seek advice from your Podiatrist or GP, who will advise you appropriately.
- Pressure relief is useful to decrease pain and damage to the area.
PREVENTION!
- Wear warm protective clothing
- Avoid cold and extremes of temperature. (eg. warm bed to cold bathroom floor, cold outside to
warming directly in front of heating)
- Exercise
- Have adequate room in shoes
- Protect from pressure
- Check bath/shower with hand/elbow for temperature before bathing
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