Topical capsaicin as useful therapy in the treatment of chilblains

Chilblains, or perniosis, is a common inflammatory lesion generally localized in acral skin areas induced by a cold, damp environment. Common therapeutical treatment often fails to give positive results, and protection against cold and dampness appear to be the only good prevention. We applied topi cal capsaicin in the erythemato-oedematous phase of chilblains to 10 patients affected by perniosis. This treatment produced a rapid clinical resolution of lesions in all the subjects examined within 4-10 days. Beneficial effects of capsaicin in the treatment of chilblains could be due to its stimulating activity on peripheral sensitive sensory neurons, and to its ability to release vasoactive neuropeptides, such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide.