Skin chills: Your skin’s response to its surroundings

What is skin chills?

Goosebumps occur when skin hairs on the arms or legs stand up straight, and these hairs pull tiny bumps of skin, the hair follicles, with them.

The form of skin tingling

Skin goosebumps look like small bumps forming on the skin and some describe this phenomenon as like the skin of a plucked bird, hence the name goose skin. In areas without hair on the body, only erect, swollen and larger than normal hair follicles can be seen, and not the hair itself.

Symptoms of skin tingling

One of the main symptoms of skin chills is the appearance of bumps on the skin, especially on the arms, legs and trunk, and they do not appear on the face.

1. Small, rough bumps on the skin

It occurs as a result of the contraction of the rectus capillary muscles, where the small hairs on the skin are pulled in a straight direction, and the hair follicles swell to become like rough bumps.

2. Other symptoms

Some other symptoms of goosebumps include:

• feeling cold
• Shaking or trembling.
• intense feelings.
• Nausea or anxiety (in people taking opioid medications).

Causes and triggers of skin chills

There are a group of factors and causes that lead to skin tingling or chills, including:

1. Emotional responses, such as fear, excitement, or awe

The human body responds in several ways when experiencing intense emotions, and among the most common responses are:

• Increased electrical activity in the muscles beneath the skin.
• Increased depth or heaviness of breathing.

These are reactions that trigger chills, as well as sweating and an increased heart rate, which are feelings and responses that can be triggered by what you think, see, hear, touch, smell or taste.

The release of adrenaline also leads to goosebumps, for example when watching a scary movie, a traumatic event, or anxiety, or when experiencing pleasant experiences such as listening to music or the gentle touch of a loved one.

2. Medical conditions and skin chills

Skin hives is not an isolated or serious skin or medical condition, however it can be a sign of a long-term medical condition. For example, it might be a sign of:

• Keratosis pilaris, or keratosis pilaris: This is a common and harmless skin condition that causes goosebumps for long periods of time.
• Autonomic dysreflexia: It is an overreaction and exaggeration of the autonomic nervous system to excitement. It is caused by an injury to the spinal cord.
• Temporal lobe seizure: These are chronic epileptic seizures, sometimes called focal cognitive dysmorphic seizures. In this case, the patient may remain aware of what is around him, and during the most violent attacks, he appears alert, but is not responsive to what is around him. Among the symptoms of this condition: euphoria, a feeling of fear, and the feeling of previously experienced feelings.
• Chills associated with a fever or the flu.

3. Cold temperatures

In some mammals, we notice that standing hair has a role in the body’s ability to regulate its temperature, and thick hair keeps it warm.

Likewise, in humans, when feeling cold, the hair of the body stops and the follicles are pulled with it, which causes goosebumps. It may also happen when a person thinks of feeling cold, for example: when seeing a cold scene in a movie.

4. Skin chills in response to specific medications or treatments

Some drugs stimulate activity similar to the activity of chemicals in the body that cause chills, for example: a person who uses a drug derived from N-methylamphetamine (which is a strong stimulant of the central nervous system) may get chills.

Withdrawal from certain medications, such as opioids, may also cause goosebumps.

How to get rid of chills?

Chills are not a medical condition that requires treatment, and therefore there is no treatment that can prevent or stop the occurrence of chills. However, if you don’t feel comfortable with this condition or feel ashamed when it arises, you can take some preventive techniques, including:

1. Reducing stress

Stress can trigger an involuntary response in your body that can lead to chills. It is best to decompress and learn ways to deal with the inevitable stressful events.

2. Relax

It is important to remain calm and relaxed at all times, especially in stressful or emotionally intense situations. Some exercise, breathing exercises and yoga can help with this.

3. Other treatments

In addition to the above, you can follow these additional steps:

• Regular moisturizing.
• Routinely exfoliate the skin.
• Keeping the body warm, by wearing warm clothes.
• Laser hair removal treatment.

What is the difference between hives and keratosis pilaris (whisker skin)?

Keratosis pilaris is a skin condition that results in rough patches and bumps on the skin. These small, rough bumps, either red or brown, are dead skin cells clogging hair follicles.

The accumulation of keratin (hair protein) in the follicles is the main cause of keratosis pilaris.

As for skin chills, it is a condition that is not satisfactory, but rather comes only as a result of environmental factors or as a result of some feelings and emotions. It may also be a symptom of keratosis pilaris or what is called goose skin.