Chilblains

Background

• Mild but uncomfortable inflammatory lesions of skin
  • Caused by long-term intermittent exposure to damp, nonfreezing ambient temperatures
• Primarily a disease of women and children

Clinical Features

• Hands, ears, lower legs, feet most commonly affected
• Symptoms
  • Tingling, numbness, pruritus, burning paresthesias
  • Cutaneous manifestations appear up to 12hr after acute exposure:
  • Localized edema, erythema, cyanosis, plaques, nodules
    • May progress in rare cases to ulcerations, vesicles, and bullae
  • Rewarming may result in formation of tender blue nodules which may persist for days

Treatment

• Affected skin should be rewarmed, gently bandaged, and elevated
• Nifedipine 20mg PO TID may be helpful as both prophylactic and therapeutic tx
• Topical corticosteroids and oral steroid burst have been shown to be useful

See Also

Cold Injuries (Non-Freezing)

Source

Tintinalli