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pernio

pernio

9.9
Swollen red skin on fingers or toes after cold, wet weather
  • noun
  • /ˈpɜrni.oʊ/
  • Specialized
: pernio
  • After spending the winter in the cold, she developed pernio on her fingers, making them painful and swollen.
  • lupus pernio

Examples

  • He learned that pernio, also known as chilblains, often occurs when the skin reacts to extreme temperature changes.

  • The doctor explained that pernio is commonly caused by prolonged exposure to cold and damp weather.

  • A variety of other conditions have been described as well, including lupus pernio, Hutchinson's plaque, and papular sarcoid.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Erythema nodosum is the most common dermatologic complication in sarcoidosis, but special mention should be made of the chronic violaceous lesion known as lupus pernio.

    Academic text (1998)

Synonyms

chilblains
vspernio
1 9.9

Small painful itchy red swellings on fingers, toes, or ears after cold, damp weather

is the formal medical name for the same inflammatory condition
chilblain
vspernio
  • UK
9.9

A painful, itchy swelling on the hands or feet after cold, wet weather

is the broader condition involving multiple inflamed areas rather than one

Surface Forms

pernio singular
pernios plural

Etymology

Pernio comes from old medical Latin and was used for 'sores' that appear after long exposure to cold and wet weather. A helpful way to remember pernio is to think of a 'cold burn' on your fingers or toes, which is why it now means the red, swollen skin condition also called chilblains.