Rare diseases · Sign or symptom

Chilblains

HP:0009710

What it means

Chilblains, also called perniosis, are an inflammatory skin condition related to an abnormal vascular response to the cold. We are unaware of a reliable estimate of incidence. It typically presents as tender, pruritic red or bluish lesions located symmetrically on the dorsal aspect of the fingers, toes, ears and nose. Less commonly, reports describe involvement of the thighs and buttocks. The lesions present hours after exposure to cold and usually resolve spontaneously in one to three weeks.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

Sometimes5–29%

1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Chilblain lesions

Chilblains

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This page uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (2026-06-23) — Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium, hpo.jax.org. Disease associations from Orphanet (INSERM), CC BY 4.0. Content is educational and is not medical advice.