Red hands and feet

[nmkgirl07]

My hands and my feet started to get very red about 3 or 4 years ago for no apparent reason. It has gotten worse as I've gotten older. My hands and feet will get really hot and red. If I do any physical activity my hands and feet will turn very red and be very hot and I can feel the heat radiating off my hands and feet. If I am outside and the weather is hot and I am wearing flipflops my feet will get beat red and so will my hands. I dont feel any pain but it is uncomfortable because i can feel something happening in my feet and even my legs. If i take a hot shower my feet and legs become beat red and my legs get blue even and I dont know why. If I am walking in the mall the same thing will happen to my feet; they get very red and hot. Or even if I go outside in the cold and then come back inside my hands will get red and start to get really warm. I've been to the doctor about it and have taken several blood tests but nothing has shown up. If i raise my hands above my head the redness will dissapear in seconds and they are not as hot anymore, but if i leave my hands by my sides I can just feel the blood rushing to my hands and turn beat red. Also my hands and feet will be very cold in the winter and sometimes turn blue or even red when they are very cold. It has gotten worse this winter and I don't understand why it happens or what i can do. I think that could possibly be Raynauds but I dont think when my hands and feet get red and hot that that could be Raynauds. I have tried look it up on the internet, but I can't find anything on it or what it could possibly be. I dont do much physical activity which my doctor said could relate that and i also have fatigue which he also said could relate to that also. Does anyone know what this is?

[cakebakinmomma]

I am 42 year old woman. I too have the same symptoms: red hand that burn, I have Raynaud's where my fingers and toes turn white and then red. This has been going on for 10 years. In the past 3 years I have had a finger and toes swell and stay swollen anywhere from 1 month to 3 months with doctors and podiatrist stumped, having cortisone shots and MRIs that show nothing. That is until I did some research and had my doctor run some tests for Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have gone to a rheumatologist where I have been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. Be very careful to not waste money and insurance if any symptoms  you are having sound like mine. My doctor years ago said Raynaud's is a precursor to arthritis.

[Kcovington]

Thank you for this!
I didn't even look to see how long ago all this was posted, but this helped me today. I have the exact symptoms of the original poster and have been searching for an answer. This really looks like a positive direction to pursue.

[annaRN]

Somebody will definitely love you even though you feel your hands are not perfect! I promise :)

[Socialsaraht]

I just went to a vascular/cardiologist yesterday for the exact same concerns. I remember having it when I was younger and it is always embarrassing because people ask what is wrong with my feet. I am a 25 year old female. I have noticed and alcohol can also make these symptoms happen at night and I wake up feeling hot and my feet and hands are extra hot. Anyways, the vascular dr and a podiatrist both thought it was a variant of raynaud's. I told the  vascular dr that I found erythromelalgia and he researched it with me and seems to think it is possible. I will be going back for tests to check veins in my legs. Basically to rule other things out. After that he wants to to see a rheumatologist and maybe a hematologist. Also, I bright this up to my dermatologist who said I should talk to my primary care dr. I have talked to my primary care dr about this who brushed it off and said I just intake too much sodium. The vascular de yesterday even said it wouldn't be from too much sodium because the redness and hot/cold feet couldn't be explained from the sodium. He said if it was just swelling then maybe it would be sodium, but not in my case. If you are lucky like me to be able to self refer to specialist than great! If you need a referral from your primary care.. Make sure you find one that is concerned like you, listens to you and takes the time to help figure it out!

[Maya20xx]

I'm female, in my early 20s and live in australia.  I've been experiencing redness in my hands for a few years now, but don't have any problem with my feet.  my hands (and sometimes ears) are most red when i enter a very warm room, when i take a shower, when i wash my hands, etc.  sometimes i get a tingling feeling in my hands and when it's very cold my fingertips go numb (or i get pins and needles).  when i was a child my palms used to be very fair, but ever since i was in my late teens they are always red.  

the doctors dont have much info about it, but they recommended that i wear gloves (as mine is worse in winter).  basically, they said that i am extra sensitive to heat/cold.  i noticed that if i wash my hands with cold/hot water it turns even more red, but if i wash my hands in lukewarm water my hands are fine.  it makes a huge difference!  but it can be frustrating, because it means i have to stand at the tap for a few minutes before the hot water comes out of the tap, and then i have to adjust the water until it is the exact temperature i need.  really annoying if im in a hurry and doesnt help with the water bill

anyways, i've read everyones post and i noticed that a few of you think it's caused by allergies (eg lactose or chemicals in paint).  i think i'll try experimenting with that one first.  i'm allergic to almost everything, but i've been using hand cream with fragrance even though it makes me sneeze(because im stubborn and friends keep buying me girly things like that and i dont want it to go to waste lol).  i'll see if this is the cause and will switch to non-fragrant hand cream.  now that i think about it, the redness started about the same time i started applying it. And it would also explain why the problem is with my hands and NOT my feet.

I'll let you guys know if it works :)

[ucb1234]

im 43 and have been experiencing red swollwn hands/ cold purple hands for around 2 years. Even on a quite mild day my hands could turn purple both palms and back. On a warm day they can easily overheat to the point where I have to pour cold water on them to alleviate the discomfort. This can also happen after exercise. People have started to notice and it is a little embarassing. Other than that my health is ok think. Im not overweight, dont drink alcohol for the past 2 years, smoke 15 cigarteetes a day (not healthy  know). I have taking EFFexor for around 8 years for depression, Lipitor for 2 years and an ACE inhibitor for mild hypertension for around 4 years. I do suffer from occassional tremor attacks where my hands would feel very shaky (more pronounced in the left hand). These attacks have also been happenning for about 2 years.  

Im gonna look into everything Ive seen posted on the sight. Thanks a million for posting your experiences.  feel less alone!!! Thank you!