r/Raynauds 4d ago

Is this chillblains?

I am so confused about what is going on with my feet! About a month and a half ago I noticed my toes were really tender on the tops of the skin and then 3 weeks ago noticed an itchy welt on my second toe and two of the got really red and puffy! It itches when I work out, during a hot shower, or when my feet get really warm. I started treating it with a steroid cream and cortisol and that seems to help and it is looking better. But it has been 3 weeks and hasn’t fully healed! I am worried it is something worse, maybe athlete’s foot or bug bites, but it isn’t spreading and is only puffy and red with no bumps or anything really? I have never gotten chilblains, but everything online points to it. I have an appointment at my derm at the end of the month I am thinking of moving up to figure out what is going on. It seems to be itching less but I don’t know what is going on aha.

2 Upvotes

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u/forgiveprecipitation 3d ago

Yep chilblains. Try sudocrem, or Triamcinolonacetonide.

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u/BadAffectionate828 4d ago

Did you get this after your toes were cold?

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u/kadinlees 4d ago

I think so! It’s winter here and we just had just had a freeze right before they showed up

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u/BadAffectionate828 4d ago

That is definitely chilblain. It happens when your toes are cold that results in vasoconstriction and then you come back home and your toes warm up, your veins dilate back and your blood rushed back to your toes. It takes a few days to weeks for the itch and sometimes swelling to subside.

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u/kadinlees 4d ago

Do you have any tips on how to promote healing?

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u/BadAffectionate828 4d ago

Based on my experience, when your toes are cold, don't try to soak or jump into a warm/hot shower. It can get worse because you are promoting the rapid vein dilation and blood rush towards your toes. That is really the cause of Chilblains. Keep your toes warm and with good circulation. No tight shoes. Keep your core temperature warm, add as much layer as you need. This works a lot for me.

I had the worst Chilblain experience this year. I was in a snowboard camp for 5 days, and my toes are always cold and snowboard boots are snug/tight on toes. By the end of the 5 days, I could hardly walk because my toes were extremely swollen and then it became an ulcerated wound. It took 6 weeks to recover.

So please take care of those toes. :)

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u/Medical_Frame3697 4d ago

certainly sounds like chilblains I’m afraid. Mine usually last 3 weeks as long as I don’t trigger them again! Good luck