cold induced rash

[sunflower garden]

My daughter who is now 2 gets a rash whenever her skin is exposed to cold.I started noticing it last winter, when the air indoors or outdoors is 65 degrees or cooler she gets bumps that are slightly raised and they do not seem to itch. They kind of look like welts and she doesn't seem to even know they are there. I asked her peditrician about it and she doesn't think that it is a problem but she couldn't tell me what the cause was, she just said that babies skin is sensitive and she would most likely grow out of it. It is very annoying to me because other mom's are afraid and tend to pull their children away from mine because they think she has an illness of some sort. I searched this website and found a condition called cold urticaria but I don't know if this is right because it doesn't seem to itch or bother her. She also eats ice and cold drinks and she doesn't complain of anything.(she speaks very well for her age and tells me when she is uncomfortable ex.cold,hot,hurt,itchy,tired.). Any suggestions on what this might be? Thank you.

[star queen]

Cold uticaria is an "allergy" to the cold.  Exposure to cold will cause a histamine reaction similiar to that of any allergen, but cold uticaria results in hives that begin on the face, hands, and neck.  The most common form has a rapid onset of hives on exposure to the cold.  To test for this, put an ice cube on the skin for 1-5minutes.  A "positive" would result in the appearance of a hive on the skin.  Prescription antihistamines are recommended for this, as the OTC types usually don't work.  Ask the doctor about Ketotifen.  Usually kids outgrow this condition in 5-6 years.  In severe cases, when the child is in very cold water, hypovolemic shock can have tragic results.  If the ice test is negative (no hives after ice is on for 5 minutes), you may simply have a "cold rash".  This occurs as a physiologic reaction to the cold.  When cold air/water/etc touches the skin, the blood vessels in the skin constrict, reducing oxygen in the skin.  In reaction to the low oxygen, the body produces a chemical reaction to produce an inflammatory agent into the area.  The inflammation reaction causes bumps similiar to goose bumps to occur and a vasodilation of the blood vessels bring more blood and oxygen into the area.  The skin looks red and bumpy and may feel warm to the touch.  Some people "grow out" of this condition, and others have it throughout life.  The only treatment is to prevent cold from reacting with the skin.  Hope this helps

[KrisMomOf4]

My oldest had this condition when he was young, he rapidly gre out of it and now I have trouble convincing him it's cold enough to wear a jacket in the middle of a snow storm. It is very frightening looking but try not to worry.

[sunflower garden]

do you remember about what age it went away? Did you ever find out what causes this? Thank you.

[delyro]

you may want to research Raynaud's Phenomenom.  I had a cousin who could not take swim lessons because he would break out in a horrible rash.  My mother in law has it so bad, she doesn't travel in winter.  If she gets cold, it starts with the hands/fingers, cutting off oxygen, they turn a ghastly shade of purple-mauve - but there is no itching. I would definately recommend researching Raynaud's.

[mewal]

I have a allergy to cold that I think is pretty serve and it does not just start on thr face and hands, it is pretty much my whole body. I itch like crazy and my hives start to piggyback on top of each other. In a severe attack I have a hard time breathing and I get very tired. It is very hard because people do not believe me or thery say I am crazy.

[Hives when cold]

Help!  Right now my 14 year old daughter is being tested for everything from Lupus to Connective Tissue Disorders to Mono.  She develops hives when she gets cold.  This can be in a restaurant, our finished basement, the swimming pool (when first opened in the season), running her hands in cold water, etc.  We have been told that it could be raynauds disease--everything I've read doesn't point to that, no white discoloration, she just goes straight into the hives and once warm they go away?????  Any suggestions?

[johnie marie]

Hi everyone!  I stumbbled across this website, because I have cold induced hives.  I am 37 yrs old, and have been suffering from this since Sept. of this year.  They came on out of the blue and have plaqued me daily for 10 months.  I get them from the air condition (house or car) cold water (swimming pool), winter was brutal to say the least, holding something cold, eating icecream, etc. if it's cold I get hives.  My family doctor put me on Doxepin, but it was not helping.  So I went to my daughter's allergy doc, and he increased the Doxepin, and gave me clarinex.  I tried that for a month and it helped alittle, but I was still braking out.  I went back to the allergist and he put me on Cyproheptadine.  He said it was an older antihistamine, that historicly had worked for cold hives.  Well, ta da.....I have been on it for almost 2 weeks, and have had NO HIVES.  So I thought I would pass this along so maybe it would help someone else get some relief.

[GIJou]

Hi! I'm 23 and my first reaction to cold was when i was about 17.. I'd get the hives allover my legs since I had to wear a school uniform skirt and in the winter the cold would be simply unbearable. I had never suffered from this as a kid or anything. My worst experience with this was when I went to some rapids last summer and literally, my entire body was covered in bumps... I was a walking rash! It itches so much and gets me in hysterics. That time at the rapids I had to get into the car and turn on the heat to the highest.. I was crying in despair since it just wouldnt go away! It took around an hour for the bumps to dissapear. After that I've had minor breakouts, usually when I come out of the shower or a pool, or simply in cold weather. Also sometimes when I'm holding a drink with ice, my fingers kinda swell up and lose sensitivity.. really weird. Another thing, I've developed a nut allergy over the last couple of years (itchy and swollen lips), so I'm wondering if this is somehow connected? These things didn't happen to me before!!

[cft]

Hi,

I have a similar problem. I am now 38 year old. I had my first problem back in 2001 and came back winter of 2005 and has since stuch with me. Back in 2001 it was on my fingers, toes and inner tights. Last summer it started on my finger, toes and inner tights. Next time he showed on different parts of my body. My front tights, hands and under my eyes. Last week I brought my son for his first swim class, this time it was on my front tights and next to my virgina. In the past it came and gone within a few hours. However, this time it stayed for a few days, altough the look and the itchness wasn't as bad as day one. I wonder it lasts for days, does it have anything to do with chlorine in the swimmin pool? The itchyness was really bad. My doctor prescribed me anti-depression pill, she said that sould help. It didn't work for me. I am now on Chinese herbs hope that will help.

[DKoop]

I’m 52 and my problem started in 1999 when I was working in the north east doing a major computer rollout. At first I thought it was something I was eating because I away form home and eating out all the time. My hands, back and legs would start to itch from time to time. However when I would come home (Houston, TX.) once every two weeks, the itching seem to stop. I was washing my car one morning when I was home and my hand started itching. My daughter came outside and spayed me with the hose. Shortly there after I started itching all over my body. I then noticed a rash had formed on my arms and legs. Later on in the day I was drinking a cold beer and my hand started to itch.
OH snap! It’s not the food, it’s the cold. So what dose an I. T.  person  do? They go to their computer and type in cold rash. UTICARIA come up and it’s not that uncommon.
ZYRTEC 400mg  has been the answer to my problem. I take one pill in the morning about ½ hour before I take a shower and I’m good to go until the next morning most of the time.

[mom worried]

My 13 year old daughter has in the last year had breakouts and the doctors can't figure it out. Anytime she gets into cold water, outside in the cold or the air conditioning she breaks out in these huge itchy hives. They have tested her for Lupus, Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, she has had an MRI done to see that her hypothalamus is working correctly and several other tests. This past summer she broke out while in the swimming pool, when she got out to get warm it must have been too drastic a change in temperature because she went into a seizure. Since then she is afraid to swim.
It has been really hard for her because it starts on her face, and what teenager wants huge hives on their face in front of their friends.  We tried Claritin and it tends to work some of the time, but not consistently enough.

[DaveysFallChild]

When I was at camp, I was about 11 or so, we took a trip to a waterpark Mountain Creek in NJ. This waterpark is known for using pure natural spring water so everything is freezing. I jumped into the water and started to shake and chatter and I broke out all over my body, mainly on my legs, chest and hands in hives. I got a shot of benadryl and went to the doctor. He said I was allergic and hypersensitive to cold. My mother did not believe him since she did not see much of the rash, she made me sit outside that night and sure enough, I broke out. After that summer it never happened again but now I'm 17 and for the the past 2 years I have been having sudden numbing and white hands everytime I'm a little cold. I'm also in Color Guard so spinning ice cold metal poles when it's freezing out didn't help. I was diagnosed with Raynaud's Disease. Basically, wear gloves when it's cold and just try to keep warm. That's my story, I just believe that these are linked. I'm pretty thin and have trouble creating body heat, so I'm always cold. Hope this helps!!

[itcheycoldhives]

I'm 36 now, they came on all of a sudden and everytime anything cold touches me i break out in giant hives from my neck down to my knees. talk about difficult, can't swim with my kids and going in the snow, just standing out side in 70 degree weather sets them off. Embassessing in public walking thru the halls iching my butt because i walked from my car into the school to pick my kids on a cold day.My boyfriends aunt is a nurse and she gave me a spray bottle of benadryl, takes the itch off.

[mj210]

In 1978 I was diagnosed with Erythema Nodosum. The Doctors stated that they did not know what the underlying cause was. Numerous lab tests and x-rays. Each year since then I would break out from head to toe. I always asked the doctors if it was something I am eating They said NO, could it be the cold They said NO. I always related this to the cold. I would tell the Doctors that I though I was allergic to the cold. Last year I became very ill though out the year. Our Carbon Monoxide Alarm (finally went off). I had CO poisoning and now suffer at an extreme level of Erythema Nodosum, cold induced hives, Raynauds and ..... I am now reacting to so many environmental reactions. I refuse to seclude myself to a bubble. The cold is soooooo painful. I am having a had time with getting treatment from the Doctors, since 1978 they have told me that I can not be allergic to the cold. However, my body tells me different. The painful hive go deep into the tissues, it hurts to walk, I have painful lumps from head to toe and can not find a Doctor to help treat me. I now know Doctors do not treat for toxin or poisons, they are not trained for that. However, the toxins and poisons have caused all my ill effects so why aren't thy? Help!

[CranberrieLove]

It feels so good to share my story with people that won't laugh and think I'm making a joke.  I'm getting ready to turn 30 and I've dealt with this since I was 13.  I have never been diagnosed by a doctor.  It all started after moving from Missouri to West Virginia.  I believe it's because of a mixture of humidity and the body change that seems to occur about every seven years.  I get hives from any extreme change of cold temp. to the skin of any kind.  The worst is when I'm not cold, but my skin is (such as sweating from exertion or the summer heat and then a breeze or ac cools my skin).  I have had them so bad on my feet that walking feels like the skin on my soles will split open.  My lips, fingers, and toes sometimes turn blue and no matter how many blankets I have won't warm me up.  The worst experience I have had was one winter playing in the snow with my siblings when my toes went numb.  I went inside and hives were everywhere almost like my skin was trying to create insulation.  It took several blankets and several person's body heat to warm me up.  I believe I would have died had my family not been there to warm me, I was shaking so bad.  I still have to have body heat to warm me up when I come home from my very active job on a cold day (otherwise it would take me hours).  I have noticed over the years that my blood pressure is low and I probably have poor circulation not to mention my regular temp is 96.8.  I just hope that my children never have to experience this (no signs yet).  The only advice I have is bundle up, heat up before going out in cold (not enough to sweat), and stay active enough to keep body temp up.  It's a constant battle and an impossible balance, but what else ya gonna do?

[m_ichael]

It just happened to me last Friday (1st Feb 2008) after I clean the snow off my car. I break out hive in my face. Since then I break out hive in the different part of my body. Simple thing like walking on the cool floor at home (I don't even feel the cold)! Couple of times, it happen when I just in and out of the car, anywhere between -5 C to +4 C. The colder the worset. On Saturday, night after I have finish eating the ice-cream, I feel my throat is scratchy and some what swollen. Me and my wife drove to ER. We just wait outside the hospital in order to see whether I start having anaphylax shock or not. We waited for 30 mins or so, it didn't happen. Finally, I went to the walk in clinic on Sunday ask for the prescription for Zantac (150 mg twice daily) and prednisone (40 mg daily) and Benadryl 50 mg every 6 hours, so far it did not help at all. I don't mind the hive but angioedema is something else. Did any one had anaphylax shock because of the cold induced urticaria???

[heather360]

I have had these bumps on my hands every winter for the past 11 years. they get red itch dry up and fall off but it takes a few months. this year i thought they were going away and they came back. my doc thought it was frost bite, lupus, herpes and raynauds. i have no clue but they are really unatractive and i have to wear band aids on my fingers

[evey114]

i am 15 and whenever it is cold i get rashes on my inner thighs and upper arms. if i hold something cold my fingers swell. It is unbearable. My doctor has perscribed me allergy medication but sometimes it works and sometimes it dosen't. Help, give me answers. It is not really hives but read patches and itches like mad. my friends think its related to stress.

[CranberrieLove]

  I would call those hives.  It's a reaction to the cold.  I don't usually itch until my body tries to warm up and for some reason it seems to be common on my thighs as well.  There really is no "cure" that I know of.  Benadryl or some allergy medicines can help, but honestly the best advice I've found is keeping your body warm!  It definitely doesn't make one feel better that nothing really helps, but if you let your body get to cold, you can go into hypothermia.  From what I've read, no one is too interested in this problem, because it is uncommon.  It is not related to stress and it is not all in your head (as my father had told me all my life).  I hope that your situation does not occur for very long.  It's recorded to not last but a couple of years although I have been dealing with it for about 17 years now.  Also, make sure you tell any hospital that you are in so they give you warm blankets (make them!), I haven't been in one yet where they have even heard of this craziness.

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
It seems to me that she is suffering from a condition called physical allergy.Physical allergies are allergic reactions to cold, sunlight, heat, or minor injury.
The immune system usually responds only to certain kinds of chemicals, namely proteins. However, non-proteins can trigger the same sort of response, probably by altering a protein to make it look like a target. Physical allergy refers to reactions in which a protein is not the initial inciting agent.
Cold can change certain proteins in the blood so that they induce an immune reaction. This may indicate that there are abnormal proteins in the blood from a disease of the bone marrow. The reaction may also involve the lungs and circulation, producing wheezing and fainting.
Itching can be controlled with cold packs or commercial topical agents that contain menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, aloe, antihistamines, or cortisone preparations.
ref:http://www.myonlinewellness.com/topic/physicallergy

[vic323]

Thank goodness I found this site, and all your comments.  I just started having symptoms of cold urticaria July 2008, I visited the dermatologist and he said that I probably have it and I will go back in a month after summer is over to run some tests.  When I touch anything cold for more than a couple of minutes, my hands become painful, a bit itchy and then throbbing - nothing really visible, perhaps a bit red... it lasts about 5 minutes.  When I took a swim in the sea and came out, I started feeling a bit itchy on my legs and noticed the forming of hives on inner thighs, back of knees, stomach.  If I carry something cold touching my inner arms, I get a small breakout.  The itching lasts only for a couple of minutes max, and its not really unbearable, just uncomfortable.  A couple of strange thing in my case, is I appear to be slightly sensitive to hot as well.  I was holding my coffee cup and when I set it down, my finger tips where tingling as if they fell asleep, again, only lasted about 5 minutes.  When I was cooking a few times I felt sensitive if the steam hit my inner arms, they felt itchy and I got a slight rash.  Warm showers are fine and I have no problem.  The other strange thing I can't finger out if it is related is that soon after all these cold urticaria symptoms, my teeth are quite sensitive to cold, only the back molars (3 of them). Only if the cold touches the tooth, otherwise I can drink cold drinks just fine.  Is that coincidental?  Anyone else having tooth sensitivity?  

[curious101388]

I came across this website while researching, and I wondered if anyone has any answers. I am a teenager, and just recently I discovered that whenever I go swimming in a non-heated pool I break out in hives. At first it was only on my legs, and mostly the backs of my knees. But a few weeks later I went tubing and when the cold water hit my face and arms, the reaction started there. My mom is concerned and wonders if there is anything we can do about this. Does anyone know if there is medication or something we can try?

[margypops]

Well I have them also but not cold induced there are a lot of them out there, Mine is Chronic Urticaria also Pressure Urticaria and Dermagraphism,  Put Urticaria into the search Engine there a ;lot odf stuff online  ,with some people they get relief from itching from varied anti histimines ,they make me sick, I am still researching it, I started getting them after Dental workin May , but if yours are just Cold they will tell you about it on the site, it may last a short while maybe a long while, I have found the Natural Remedy sites best, Doctors dont seem to know anything,they try to  put you on Steroids with really bad side effects and long term effects.Hope you find more information and they stop soon.

[cold_in_new_england]

Hello All,

I have lived close to 17 years being allergic to the cold....in New England.  It has not been easy, nor fun..watching my kids make snowmen from inside the house and not being able to go sledding during the winter, or even going swimming on a hot day in the summer.  I just started taking zyrtec 10 mg a couple of days ago...I'm tired of not being able to stand outside in the morning I'm hoping this works.  I too have a low body temp, poor circulation, and low blood pressure.  I have also had heart palpitations though I'm sure this is related.

For those of you new to the allergy..please watch yourself carefully, for me it started off as rashes, but I have had several incidents of my throat swelling and breathing made difficult, each reaction can be different depending upon the exposure.

[fearlessd3vil]

I have been having a rash for 6 months now. First started in May 2008 when I was cleaning my garage, I first thought it was an allergic reaction from the dust and heat. This continued when I started to get hot or sweaty, it really was annoying. I also noticed that when it got colder the rash would swell up again, and my rash-welts starting from my fore arms, inner/outer thighs, stomach areas, and back. This problem is really annoying and very embarrassing. It has been happening in hot and cold and now since it's November 2008 it continues and I must wear long sleeves just to cover myself.
My temporary solution is Zertec 5mg over the counter stuff. I have been taking it once a day for over 4 months now. I need some insight on this problem and I don't see anyone on here with any reasonable suggestions as to what may be causing it. I need to get to the root of the problem, not finding temporary fixes. My Doctor said it's just a skin allergy that should go away. He put me on antihistimines (Zertec) But guess what it annoys the crappa out of me. Now that I see some other folks are having the same similair issues but they've had it for years this is really getting to me.
I use Head & Shoulders shampoo, I use Axe Body wash, I use Purex laundry detergent, Bounty air freshner. (Yes, I am a 29 year old male, 5'5, 155lbs) Please someone shed some light here I'm sure all of us would like to know what the root cause may be. Myself and other folks don't want the long winded answer but a good one would be nice.
Your help and suggestions are welcomed.

[firemanlee]

I have a 7yr old son who breaks out in hives within minutes of being exposed to cold air.  It started about 2 years ago.  He gets them mostly from late fall through early spring.  He can be out in fairly warm air in the early evening, but when the cool evening air comes in, he will start to break out.  He says they don't itch, but somehow he can tell that he is breaking out.  Interestingly, he only breaks out on areas that are exposed -- his face and neck 1st, then on the tops of his hands, etc.  If he has on a short sleeved shirt, he will break out on his arms, but if he is wearing a long sleeved shirt, his arms don't react.  Within minutes of going indoors, the hives disappear on their own.  He does have a presciption of Zyrtec, which we give him if we know he will be out in the cold; it helps considerably.  He also reacts in the summer if he gets in a cold swimming pool, but it never seems to progress past very pronounced hives -- no breathing problems, etc.  I think it is more of an embarassment for me; i feel bad because other parents are horrified by the way he looks, but he is harmless.  He deals with it well and we keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't get any worse symptoms, but so far, it's just the hives.

[CranberrieLove]

This fall has already been terrible for me.  I have moved into my sisters house which is VERY cold!  It's an old house and I truly believe it's going to be the death of me.  I haven't had hives so often in my life.  It *****!  I really want to be able to walk around the house or even sit on the couch without blankets.  The only way i can warm back up is by having my children lay with me or take a really hot shower.  This is never-ending and no meds help!  And on top of the hives I am exhausted when I finally warm back up.  Feet are the worst!  I hope all of you stay warm and safe.  Don't let yourself go thinking you can expose yourself to the cold for long periods of time.  It WILL kill you.  Hypothermia can set in.  Good luck with warmth.

[CHANCECHAD]

I HAVE HAD A REATION TO THEE COLD SENCE I WAS 19 THAT WAS 20 YEAR AGE BUT IM JUST STAYING OUT OF REALY COLD WEATHER.KIND OF WIERD THOUGH,DOCTOR SAID 1 OUT OF 4 THATS WHAT I TELL MY FRIENDS .THEY LAUGH,ME TO ............

[Zenmasterb]

My daughter has these same symptoms as well.
So many messages here with seemingly very little positive results.
I hate to sound unscientific, but even though the reaction is based on histimine, perhaps the solution is based on something else.

The meds mentioned here only seem to address the symptom and not the cause.

In our families case, here are some potentially important items:
My wife was diagnosed with MS in her early 20s. She was wheelchair-bound as she could not walk. She overcame it by getting and ELISA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELISA) which told her she was allergic to 39 foods. She removed those foods from her diet, and she started getting better. She had Physical therapy, and was able to walk again, and then she started exercising and lost a lot of weight. She has been mostly asymptomatic for the last 20 years.

My situation is that starting in the spring until late fall, when I take a shower, I come out EXTREMELY itchy. Hot or cold water, doesn't matter. The itchies happen.

I bring up my wife and myself because I wonder if my daughter's cold rash has more to do with genetics.

My issue is clearly skin related, and my wife's was immune system related. I'm just thinking that we as a community need to start looking elsewhere for answers. The medical profession doesn't seem to consider this a real issue, but we know what a real problem this is.

I hope I've made some sense here.
If you'd like to contact me, you can reach me at ***@****

[HannahS]

I have colduticaria and Im 16 years old, I dont think Im gonna grow out of it. I got the ice cube test and turned out positive. :) When I was little I would develop a bad rash and get itchy all over along with red blotchiness during winter or occaisionally snowy weather. Now its not as bad as it used to be, but if I hold a cold can of drink, my fingers swell up and go red. Normal English weather (wind especially) is annoying as my ears, legs, neck and face get extremely itchy in low temperatures.
Oh and it took a while for people to believe me. Teachers wouldnt believe me especially, so I had to endure it during winter PE lessons :/ best to take a medical letter from your GP or parents during difficult situations such as those.

[sjimenez]

My 15 yr old daughter has had cold uticaria since she was 9. We had tried lots of allergy meds and nothing worked. We changed doctors for other reasons and she noticed that my daughter was taking meds that were not working and she did some research on cold uticaria and came up with a combo of 2 allergy meds, over the counter Zyrtec 10mg and prerscription of singulair 10mg and they actually worked!! She now lives a normal life of a 15 yr old as long as she takes her meds.

[itsHELLintheCOLD]

I am a 29 year old female. And my problem started when I was around 13yrs old. This for me is hereditary, my father has suffered all his life from it. It starts on my thighs, back of knees (the worst), and my lower back. I too have just started doing my own research. This fall I'm going to start benedryl to see if it works. So far even the Dr.s do not know the answer. This is crippling and when it starts I go into a violent mood swing, because I am so damn uncomfortable. I don't want to be touched and when this starts the sight of ants grouped together or wet tissue on the ground grosses me out to the point of hysteria. And it all goes away once I'm warm. My father too would go into unpredictable violent mood swings. (don't know if it's connected but it all starts with the COLD!!!)

[itsHELLintheCOLD]

I am so grateful to have stumbled onto this site. My own mother didn't believe me until i one day said something about how the cold affected me and she said "you sound like your father". And that is how I found out that I inherited this. I just wanted to add that Dr.s say this is common in fair skinned people, well i am not that. I am neither "fair" or "dark" I am African American, my complexion is brown. My dad on the other hand is very fair (half French, half African). I don't get skin blotched and if i do I can't tell, I get bumps as small as the tip of a sewing needle, and if i quickly bend down i get a shooting pain and it feel like needles going through my legs. (how can you avoid the cold?!!) there has got to be a better answer.