“Cold allergy”: Understand skin irritation after contact with low temperatures

For some people, the arrival of the cold represents more than a simple matter of personal tastewhich may be a health risk factor.

Popularly known as “cold allergy”, cold urticaria is a skin irritation caused by body contact with low temperatures.

“The trigger is contact with the cold, which will happen through the skin, through cold objects, or, for example, through liquids or food”, explains dermatologist Fernanda Wroblevski, specialist at the Brazilian Society of Dermatology (SBD). “Every time the patient has this contact, he will develop the lesion at the site”.

Hives can be induced or spontaneous.

• In the case of induced, it is necessary to have a triggering factor, such as drugs, food, infections or physical stimuli, such as heat or cold.
• Spontaneous hives are those that occur without an identified cause.

According to information provided by the Ministry of Health, the body’s internal factors that cause hives are still little known, but, in most cases, it happens through non-allergic mechanisms.

“There are people who develop this condition from childhood, as something from the beginning of life, and there are people who develop it throughout their lives. It most commonly happens to young adults,” says Wroblevski.

She also points out that, although some diseases can cause the appearance of hives, the most common thing is that they manifest naturally in the course of the patient’s life.

“It is an alteration that can come alone, totally isolated, as it can come in a context, with other immunity diseases. If we have other associated symptoms, such as fever, joint pain or lesions that are more painful than itching, we have to investigate rheumatic and autoimmune diseases that could be behind it.”

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What are the symptoms?

As with other hives, the main symptom of cold urticaria is intense itching, in addition to a possible stinging and burning sensation. The emergence of reddish and raised lesions may also occur.

The dermatologist explains that, in extreme cases, the symptoms can be more severe.

“If the person comes into contact with a larger volume, for example, in a swimming pool or in cold sea water, they may eventually have some more extreme symptoms. In the case of very intense exposures, in addition to affecting the skin of the entire body, there may be symptoms such as low blood pressure, difficulty breathing and even loss of consciousness”, he warns.

According to Wroblevski, the diagnosis is usually made by the patient’s clinical history. “But there is also the ice cube test, in which we make contact with an ice cube with the skin of the forearm, it remains in contact for five minutes, and, after 10 minutes, we assess whether there was any reaction on the spot. ”

According to the specialist, this condition is commonly confused with another skin alteration, known as “perniosis”. “This alteration is circulatory, it occurs in the extremities. It is as if it were a deregulation of the circulatory part when responding to the cold. It happens mainly on the extremities: fingers, hands, sometimes ears, nose. And they form lesions that are painful, with burning”, describes the doctor.

But is cold urticaria curable?

“Some people can develop a tolerance, but, effectively, there is no cure”, replies the specialist.

According to the doctor, the main recommendation is to avoid contact with the cold. Among the tips to prevent the onset of cold urticaria, she highlights always taking a shower at a warm temperature; keep warm or avoid cold environments; avoid bathing in icy seas and water sports in cold water.

The Ministry of Health also recommends that the patient not self-medicate under any circumstances and follow medical guidelines.