On a typical Arizona day, you probably won’t experience temperatures cold enough to cause this to happen, unless of course you’re an early riser who ventures out while the air is still crisp. For those readers who live or travel to colder environments, it may be more important for you to know about avoiding the possible dangers of the cold as it pertains to your little toes.

There are certain conditions that people can have that are only aggravated by the cold. If not for those low temperatures, some of these individuals wouldn’t even know they had such a condition. One of those is called “Chilblains”. It is often confused with frostbite or trench foot because of its tendency to turn the toe colors. What happens is the cold damages the smallest blood vessels in the skin of the toes and fingers, which turns them red at first. Along with the redness, they also can form blisters, experience intense itching and severe inflammation. Often times, the cause of Chilblains cannot be explained, although it can be associated with other serious medical conditions that need to be investigated.

Chilblains can be treated by warming up the affected digits, or when severe enough, with medication to cause the blood vessels to open up, allowing better blood supply to the area. This can help reduce the pain and facilitate healing and prevent it from happening again. The best way to avoid Chilblains is by preventing it from starting in the first place. This can be prevented by keeping the feet and hands warm in cold weather. Wear high quality gloves and socks, avoid rapid changes in temperature and avoid tight fitting socks and shoes. You can even try placing cotton wool between the toes to help improve circulation. A healthy diet and exercise can also improve circulation to your extremities. Lastly, you should avoid alcohol consumption before going out in the cold.

While it is unlikely you have Chilblains, simply because it is fairly rare, there is still a chance. If you experience any of the above symptoms or signs in your toes, regardless of whether or not it is linked to cold temperatures, you should see a podiatrist right away. Until then, go out and enjoy the cold, “weather” you need to get up early to find it or simply can’t avoid it!

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There are many different causes which can lead to irritations between the toes. A common suspicion is “Athlete’s foot” which is a fungal infection of the skin. However, fungal infections which affect the web spaces can actually be caused by several different types of fungus which are each treated differently. Furthermore, fungal infections need to be distinguished from bacterial and parasitic infections which also have a predilection for the inter-digital spaces and are, of course, treated differently. Even metabolic diseases and autoimmune disorders need to be considered when assessing symptoms. Finally, friction and mechanical stress caused by a mal-aligned toe or inappropriate shoes may be causing the problem and should be ruled out.

Common symptoms that people may experience include burning, stinging, or itching sensations between the toes. They may also encounter certain changes as the skin becomes scalded, beefy red, cracked, or scaly. Of course, there are many other possible symptoms-each of which depends on the particular underlying cause. For this reason, podiatrists do a thorough assessment-which may include taking skin scrapings and using other simple measures-to determine what that cause is. From that point, the appropriate regimen is implemented which may range from oral or topical treatments to shoe-gear adjustments to changing the medications that you are currently using.

When one considers how often we wash our hands compared to our feet throughout the day, it’s not surprising that our feet are frequently susceptible to attack from microscopic organisms and other potential risks. Keeping your feet clean and dry as often as possible is a big step you can take to prevent infections. Thankfully, when serious irritations do occur, appropriate treatments are available.

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