Cold allergy: symptoms, how to recognize and treat, what can be confused with

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These questions were answered by an allergist from the “Dobrobut” medical network. Natalia Moskvina within the framework of the “Ask Life” project.

Can there be an allergy to the cold?

“Allergy” to the cold does exist. This is a rather rare phenomenon called “cold urticaria”. It occurs after contact with cold and can appear on the hands, feet, face, or the whole body.

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Cold urticaria. Photo: Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform

Symptoms can be one-time and go away on their own when the patient enters a warm room from the cold.

If it lasts a long time, occurs from year to year, or you notice threatening symptoms, you must consult a doctor.

“Cold urticaria is incurable, but it can be kept in remission. The patient should prematurely start taking antihistamines prescribed by the doctor. You can also use a protective cream on exposed areas of the body.”says the doctor.

Cold allergy symptoms

The most common are the following symptoms:

• redness of the skin;
• the appearance of blisters and sores that itch;
• edema of the extremities.

“It can be on both open and closed parts of the body. It can appear immediately after the patient goes outside, sometimes it appears after some time.

Usually it is very itchy, sometimes it can be even body swelling“– says Natalia Moskvina.

Another example of a cold allergy. Photo: Elk Scott/Getty Images

Who is at risk?

Cold allergy is more common in children than in adults. According to the doctor, children have a thinner hydrolipid layer of the skin and dryness occurs more often. Also, according to the doctor’s experience, allergy to cold can manifest itself more often in people who wear too light clothes in the cold.

Photo: RealPeopleGroup/GettyImages

What is an allergy to the cold most often confused with?

Irritative dermatitis

“The most common complaints that appear in patients in the cold season indicate irritant dermatitis, which is mistaken for allergies.

These are rashes that appear on open areas of the body, very often on the hands, sometimes on the face. It’s not exactly an allergy, it’s an irritation of the surface layers of the skin as a result of exposure to frost, cold air, and temperature drops.” – explains Natalia Moskvina.

Irritative dermatitis can occur as a result of exposure to cold. Photo: HealthDirect

Irritative dermatitis is manifested by dry skin, rashes, peeling, sometimes cracks, itching, and a burning sensation.

These are the most frequent complaints that patients make, but this is not yet an allergy to the cold, says the doctor.

“With dermatitis, the skin is always changed, even when the patient enters the room. Urticaria appears and passes, after which the skin is not changed”says allergist Natalia Moskvina.

People with light skin often suffer from irritant dermatitis in the cold season. It is also influenced by heredity, a genetic predisposition to dry skin.

The main treatment is moisturizing and protection.

“There are special creams that form a protective film, and the patient’s skin does not suffer from the cold”– adds the allergist.

Cold panniculitis

Source: ResearchGate

Cold urticaria is often confused with another disease that occurs in young children – cold panniculitis (disruption of subcutaneous fatty tissue functions).

Cold panniculitis is associated with exposure to cold. It happens more often in babies and young children.

Clinical signs are redness of the cheeks, nodules or plaques (rounded formations under the skin) on exposed areas of the body.

Read also: Winter is near: how not to turn into an icicle when it’s cold at home

“Panniculitis occurs more often in young children on exposed parts of the body, in particular, when they come into contact with some metal, for example, a lock on a bodysuit”, – says the allergist.

Cold panniculitis usually affects the cheeks and chin and appears 48-72 hours after exposure to cold.

It is important to protect children’s skin from the cold and other factors that irritate the skin.

How to treat cold allergy?

If you have allergy to cold (cold urticaria), important seek medical adviceso he can assess your condition and suggest treatment.

Patients with cold urticaria should be taken early antiallergic drugs and protect the skin from the cold.

“Sometimes antihistamines in the usual dose do not help, patients are disappointed, and in fact they just need more therapy or a combination drug.” – says Natalia.

At the same time, there are additional recommendations that are relevant for patients with both irritant dermatitis and cold urticaria.

What has to be done?

✅ Use creams that form a protective film.

“It can be any cold cream (cream to protect the skin from wind and frost – ed.). It is applied to open areas of the body in 15 minutes to contact with cold air”, – says the doctor.

✅ You also need to moisturize the skin with a special lotion or cream (preferably prescribed by a doctor).

✅ Use hygienic lipstick.

✅ Wear gloves, dress warmly.

What can’t be done?

Photo: Kinga Krzeminska/GettyImages

❌ To scratch, tear the skin.

This worsens the condition of the skin and threatens to “join” the infection. Instead, you can use healing balms prescribed by a doctor.

❌ Stay in contact with water for a long time (some people do this to relieve itching, but it only hurts).

❌ Apply the cream and immediately go out into the fresh air – otherwise the cream will not work, and the liquid, on the contrary, will evaporate faster from the surface of the skin.

❌ Being in the cold for a long time, freezing.

❌ Use folk methods (wiping with vinegar, alcohol, anointing with badger fat, honey, making compresses, drinking decoctions, etc.).

“It does not work. All alcohol tinctures only increase the dryness of the skin, and various fats do not make a protective film like special creams.

All of these can lead to blockage of the follicles, causing folliculitis.” Natalia explains.

❌ Wash in hot or cold water.

“Washing under a hot shower is a contraindication for any skin pathology. It can stimulate both dryness and itching”– emphasizes the doctor.

How to distinguish cold allergy and frostbite

Photo: Ministry of Health

Frostbite results from prolonged exposure to low temperatures and causes long-lasting symptoms.

Frostbite is always different pain syndromeexplains Natalia Moskvina.

If you notice blisters, sharp pain, bluish skin – be sure to consult a doctor!

In more detail about what are the stages of frostbite, “UP. Life” told earlier.

Read also: Dry skin on the hands, weathered lips: how to take care of the body in winter?