THE geloni (or pins) are not just a seasonal annoyance: they are one complex reaction of our circulatory system to cold and humidity. Imagine walking on a cold morning ofwinterthe hands well hidden in the pockets, the breath that condenses in the air. You finally return to the house, take off your layers and, after a few minutes, feel an annoying itching on the fingers of the feet. Then comes the burning, maybe a light purple swelling. If it has ever happened to you, you have experienced this skin reaction on your skin. The gels, in fact, are Small wounds on the skin caused by low temperatureswhich affect hands, feet ears and nose, the most exposed and peripheral points of our body. Many people suffer especially in winter and are caused by one sudden vasoconstriction of the capillaries. Manifest themselves with itching, redness, painand in the most serious cases of ulcers that can then be infected. For chilblains, prevention is a great weapon, but in case of appearance something can be done anyway.
What are the chilblains and what they are caused
The Gelone (also called pipe or erythema pernio) is a lesion of the skin caused by an Ilocal nfiammazione After exposure to the cold, especially humid, of which the causes are still debated. Vasoconstriction, for which The capillaries and the smallest leather vessels shrink Due to the cold, it seems to be the predominant cause.
It is therefore a real thermal damage, which occurs mainly in the most peripheral parts of the body, such as hands, feet, nose and ears. These more peripheral areasin fact, are more exposed to the external cold and therefore meet more easily to a vasoconstriction.
In addition, the fact that the Gelone is actually actually is debated when We pass suddenly from a very cold environment to a very hot one. The cold narrows the vases, while the heat dilates them (vasodilation), and due to too fast a dilatation there may also be a payment of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma in neighboring tissues, determining inflammation.
How to recognize a jeal
Initially we may not notice anything, because pain in the affected area arrives in a later phase: the initial feeling Indeed It is a great itchingbecause the superficial sensitivity of the area is lost, a phenomenon linked precisely to the constriction of small vases.
The skin can immediately become red or purple. Subsequently, you can create some vesiclesup to the most serious cases in which the ulcers or necrosis of the skin, which can then face infections.
Who is more at risk and how to prevent chilblains
For those who have some predispositionsit is better to prevent: for example, who suffers from Lupus or has circulation problems, like those who are suffering from Raynaud syndromean alteration of the blood circulation that causes the change of color and the numbness of the hands and fingers when exposed to the cold or a strong emotional stress.
Objective elements that increase the possibility of geling formation are: cigarette smoke, which increases the vascular damage And therefore, consequently, the predisposition to have chilblains increases; and alcohol, which in itself causes a vasoconstriction, and therefore facilitates the appearance of the chilblains.
To avoid geloni you must above all do prevention protecting himself from the cold. For example it is a good practice Always cover the most exposed body endsespecially hands, feet, ears and nose; We should also have to wear tight clothing (unless they are thermal and therefore created specifically) that hinder blood circulation. Finally, it is recommended AndVitare temperature changes And move hands and feet if you are for too long in the cold outdoors.
What are the recommended treatments for chilblains
Gelons usually heal by themselves, but if you try particular inconveniences, so -called soothing creams can be applied or, Always and in any case on medical advicebased on cortisone or anti -inflammatory; If the situation is particularly serious, the attending physician could recommend the oral intake of tablets based on caLCioantagonisti (like the nifedipine or other similar molecules). The latter are drugs with a vasodilatory action, that is, they act by dilating the small blood vessels, thus increasing the flow of blood to the suburbs.
Beyond medical care, it is essential, in case of chilblains, not rub or massage them, heat the skin gradually (To avoid a thermal shock that would worsen the situation) and keep it dry and warm.
