Also known as pernio or perniosis , chilblains are swollen, inflamed, itchy red bumps you may find around your fingers, toes and even your ears.  They are formed when your skin is exposed to very cold temperatures then your skin is suddenly exposed to a warm temperature. Chilblains can take up to a few hours to appear and when they do appear, your skin feels like it's tightening and burning. This is because your blood vessels have narrowed.
1Stay warm. Try to avoid being cold by:
- Wearing thick socks and gloves. If you have chilblains on your ears, wear beanies or soft earmuffs but it is important that the earmuffs are regularly cleaned.
- Wear thick clothing to ensure that you're warm.
- Have a hot beverage (i.e a cup of tea; hot chocolate; coffee etc.). Use either a thick mug or wrap a hand towel around the cup to avoid the heat from the drink.
2Don't scratch the chilblains. The chilblains may crack open and get infected. The pain will be worse if you do scratch them. If you can't stop scratching them, use calamine lotion or witch hazel to soothe the itching. They can usually be found at your local pharmacy. 
3Avoid direct heat. Don't place your chilblain affected areas directly over heaters; hot water bottles; kettles etc. Cover your hot water bottles in thick towels. If you have an electric blanket, keep the heat on low.
4Wash your feet at least two to three times a week. Keeping your feet clean will help prevent your chilblains becoming infected and getting worse. Soak your feet and hands with warm water for 15 to 20 minutes as much as possible. Very hot water must be avoided. 
5Use a good chilblain ointment. You can find them at your local pharmacist. Apply the ointment to the affected area two to three times a day. The ointment will partly relieve the scratching and can help the healing process. Always read the package instructions.
6Exercise to improve your circulation. Sometimes chilblains are formed when the circulation isn't very good. Do some moderate exercises that help your circulation flow (e.g. yoga; light jogging; stretches etc.).
7Change your shoes. Are your shoes too tight? Test to see by touching around the shoe while your foot is inside. If you can feel your foot easily, the shoe is too tight. Consider buying some new shoes or using another pair. If the shoes are sneakers, try loosening the shoelaces.
8Avoid smoking and being around people who smoke. Stay away from people you see light up a cigarette or cover your nose and mouth. Even if you don't smoke, inhaling smoke from others is known as second-hand smoke so you are affected just as much. Smoking delays the healing of chilblains and can make them worse. People who smoke are more at risk of getting chilblains. Pollution can also affect the healing process of chilblains, try staying away from the city central area in your town.
9Avoid being in cold areas. Stay inside a warm building instead of going outside but make sure that the building you are in is not hot. Quickly overheating can make chilblains worse. If the building is hot, go outside and put on some warm clothing. Enter the building again and take off the warm clothing. This is so that you can gradually warm up instead of warming up very quickly. Warming up quickly can make the chilblains worse.
10Wait. Chilblains usually don't go away until 7 to 14 days later. Sometimes, chilblains may not go away until warmer weather arrives. Don't panic unless you see the chilblains get worse. Look out for:
- Skin peeling off the chilblains. You may be seeing your skin turning white and your skin may always be very damp.
- Chilblains changing colour. Blue, purple or black chilblains are something you must watch out for.
11See a doctor if you still have severe chilblains after 14 days. It could be a serious problem so ask your doctor if you could have a blood test to detect any problems. You can also ask your doctor if the medication you are currently on is affecting the chilblains. Your doctor may prescribe you some medication to take.
- Your doctor may recommend to take nifedipine. This drug helps relax the blood vessels which improves circulation. However, your doctor may only prescribe it to you if the chilblains are a severe problem to you. 
- Chilblains are a symptom of the Raynaud's phenomenon, so if you do have Raynaud's phenomenon, see a doctor immediately.
- Be careful not to burn yourself while having a hot beverage. Try wrapping a small hand towel around the cup of the beverage so your hands don't burn.
- Change your socks if they are too tight. Try using breathable cotton socks.
- Avoid extreme temperature changes. If your body is very cold and you touch something that is boiling, you may get more chilblains or your existing chilblains may become worse.
- Don't go outside in bare feet when the temperature is below 18°C. Some young children like to play outside (in the backyard or even the beach) in bare feet or shoes without protection. If you have children who do this, encourage them to ware shoes.
Things You'll Need
- Chilblain ointment
- Loose shoes
- Warm clothing
Sources and Citations
- ↑ http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com/conditions/chilblains/
- ↑ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172191.php
- ↑ http://www.webmd.boots.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/chilblains
- ↑ http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Chilblains?open
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilblains
- ↑ http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/c/article/chilblains/
- ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/15/should-i-selftreat-chilblain