Keep your hands and feet warm with these tips
It’s winter! And even though snow, ice skating, hot cocoa and the holidays make winter into a magical season, there is also a downside to the December weather: chilblains.
Cause
It is cold outside and usually your hands and feet are the first to be affected by the chilly weather conditions. Have you ever had that itchy, burning sensation in your hands and feet after venturing out in the cold? Then you might be dealing with chilblains. Usually your skin will start to swell a little bit and there will be red or purple spots visible. These symptoms usually occur in temperatures below ten degrees celsius. In the cold, your blood vessels will narrow which causes less blood to flow to the skin of your hands and toes. This causes a lack of oxygen in those areas. That is the reason your fingers and toes will start to swell up, change color and feel itchy.
Preventing chilblains
Unfortunately, there is no cure for chilblains. Once your hands and feet get cold and feel itchy, all you can do is wait for the feeling to pass. But there are ways of preventing chilblains. First of all you need to be protected against the cold. You can do this by dressing warm; scarves, gloves, thick socks. Just make sure the clothes you wear are the right sizes. Clothes that are too big or shoes that are too small can still cause you to catch a cold.
The right temperature inside can be beneficial in preventing chilblains too. You don’t need the heater to work overtime just to keep you warm: walking around or exercising regularly can help with staying warm too. Or cuddle up in a warm blanket and get out a nice cup of hot chocolate to warm you right up; chilblains will soon be a thing of the past.
Also read: This simple trick will prevent your feet from getting cold while wearing shoes
Source: MaxVandaag | Image: Unsplash, whereslugo