Best Gloves for Raynaud’s Disease

You step outside, reach into the freezer, or put your hands on a cold steering wheel – and within minutes your fingers look and feel as if they belong to someone else. They turn pale or patchy white, go numb and clumsy, and suddenly simple things like turning a key or holding a bag become awkward or impossible. Then, as your hands finally start to warm again, they can swing through blue or purple to an angry red, burning, throbbing and stinging as if they have been scalded.

It is understandable to feel unsettled when your own hands do this, especially if nobody has explained why. Is this just “poor circulation”? Is it Raynaud’s disease? Is it dangerous? And if it is Raynaud’s, how do you actually get through a normal day in UK weather without dreading every trip outside or every cold object you have to touch?

Many people in this position search for the “best gloves for Raynaud’s disease” before they have had a clear explanation of what is happening in their hands. They try thicker and thicker gloves, only to find that their fingers still go white when they reach for a cold rail, or that bulky gloves are too clumsy to wear indoors where attacks also happen.

The rest of this page answers those questions in order. It explains:

What is going on in the small blood vessels, joints and nerves in your hands during and between attacks.
How Raynaud’s differs from “just cold hands” and from more serious circulation problems.
The everyday principles that actually help you keep symptoms under better control.
What people really mean when they talk about the “best gloves for Raynaud’s disease”, and which design features matter most.
Why a three‑part glove approach – with a soft base‑layer glove, a protective thermal outer glove, and a therapy glove for short heat sessions – often works better than relying on a single pair.
How the RevitaFit Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle supplied by NuovaHealth has been put together around those principles.
When gloves and self‑management are likely to be enough, and when you should seek medical assessment rather than trying to manage alone.

Each explanation links what you feel in your hands to what is happening in the tissues, and then to how different types of gloves change those stresses. The information is general. It cannot diagnose you personally, but it can help you make sense of your symptoms and think more clearly about what might help.

You do not have to read everything in one go. Each main question has its own heading with an ID, so you can move straight to the parts that match what you are currently worried about.

Before getting into glove design, it helps to be clear about what is actually happening in your own fingers.

Recognising What’s Going On in Your Hands

Before labels like Raynaud’s are used, the first step is to recognise what you actually see and feel in your hands – the colours, the sensations, and when they happen. That makes it easier to see whether your experience fits with Raynaud’s‑type attacks or points towards something else.

Why do my fingers suddenly go white and numb when I get cold?

When fingers turn very pale or white in the cold, it usually means much less blood than normal is reaching the skin and soft tissues for a while. In many people with Raynaud’s‑type symptoms, this happens because the tiny arteries and arterioles that feed the fingers (digital arteries and their branches) react very strongly to cold or stress.

These vessels have a thin layer of smooth muscle in their walls. In cooler conditions or under stress, that muscle tightens. A certain amount of tightening is normal – it helps the body conserve heat. In Raynaud’s‑type behaviour, that tightening goes further and faster than it needs to. The vessel narrows sharply, and much less warm, oxygen‑rich blood gets through.

On the surface, that drop in blood flow shows as fingers that:

Look pale or almost white compared with the rest of the hand.
Feel cold to the touch.
Feel numb, tingling or “dead” because the nerves in the fingertips are not getting their usual warm blood supply and are sending fewer signals back to the brain.

Hands are especially vulnerable because the fingers are small, lie far from the heart, and have a large surface area compared with their volume. Cold air strips heat from them quickly, and when the small vessels clamp down, there is little spare warmth left in the tissues. The faster the skin temperature drops, the more sharply those small arteries clamp down, which is exactly what drives the white, numb phase you see.

My fingertips sometimes turn blue or purple in the cold – what is actually going on?

If the low‑flow, pale phase continues, fingers may move from white towards blue or purple. This does not mean that new, fresh blood is arriving. Instead, blood that is already in the small veins and capillaries in the skin moves more slowly and gives up more of its oxygen to the tissues. As more blood in that region becomes low in oxygen (deoxygenated), it changes colour, and through the skin it can look bluish or purplish.

In this blue‑tinged phase:

Blood is still moving, but slowly and in smaller amounts than usual.
The skin feels cold, and fingers may feel heavy, clumsy or awkward.
Fine tasks such as fastening small buttons or picking up coins can become difficult because sensation and muscle control are dulled.

This pale→blue sequence is very typical of Raynaud’s‑type attacks. However, similar colour changes can sometimes occur in more serious circulation problems where larger arteries are narrowed or blocked. A key difference is that in Raynaud’s, colour usually comes back towards normal within a reasonable time once the fingers are warmed and the spasm eases. If a finger or part of a finger stays blue, very pale, or becomes dark and does not recover colour with gentle warming, that is not typical and should be assessed urgently.

Why do my hands throb and burn when they finally start to warm up again?

The painful, throbbing phase when fingers warm again can be as difficult to tolerate as the numb, white phase. It often involves:

Intense tingling, “pins and needles” or burning.
A deep, aching throb in the fingers.
Fingers that look red and sometimes a bit swollen.

This happens because, as the small arteries in the fingers relax, blood rushes back into tissues that have been relatively starved of warmth and oxygen for a while. Nerve endings that had gone quiet during the numb phase suddenly receive a surge of warm, oxygenated blood and chemical signals. They fire quickly and sometimes irregularly, which the brain interprets as strong pins and needles or burning pain.

The small veins and capillaries in the area can also become a little leaky after a spasm, so some fluid moves into surrounding tissues. That contributes to the puffy, tight feeling some people notice in the fingers as they come back to life.

This return‑of‑blood pain is unpleasant but, in the context of an otherwise typical Raynaud’s‑type attack, it reflects the blood supply returning. The important thing is that the colour should start to move back towards your usual skin tone and the pain should gradually ease, rather than remaining stuck in a very painful or severely discoloured state.

Why do my fingers feel “dead”, stiff or clumsy after being in the cold?

Many people describe their fingers during or after a cold exposure as feeling “dead”, “like wood” or “as if they are not part of me”. This comes from several overlapping factors:

Reduced blood flow means the tissues are colder, and cold slows nerve conduction. Messages from fingertip to brain and back again travel more slowly and are less precise.
The small muscles that move the fingers work less efficiently when they are cold, so movement feels effortful and jerky.
The small finger joints – at the knuckles (metacarpophalangeal joints) and middle joints (proximal interphalangeal joints) – as well as the ligaments and the flexor and extensor tendons that bend and straighten your fingers, all stiffen in low temperatures. The joint fluid is less free‑flowing and the soft tissues resist stretching more. If there is already underlying joint wear‑and‑tear or inflammation, that stiffness can be more marked.

The combined effect is a hand that:

Struggles with fine control such as writing, typing, fastening, or picking up small objects.
Tends to drop things or use a crude, over‑tight grip to compensate.
Feels as if the brain is “behind” the fingers by a fraction of a second.

Over time, repeated episodes of this kind of stiff, low‑flow state can leave joints and soft tissues more sensitive and easier to aggravate. That is one reason why it is not only the attacks themselves that hurt; there can also be a background ache and stiffness in the hands even between obvious colour‑change episodes.

I keep getting pins and needles in my fingers – is that part of Raynaud’s or something else?

Pins and needles (paraesthesia) can occur:

During the low‑flow phase, when nerves are getting less oxygen and their signalling is disrupted.
As the fingers warm and blood returns, when nerve endings suddenly become more active again.

When blood flow is low, the balance of oxygen and salts around the nerves changes. Nerve fibres may fire in an irregular way or go quiet. As circulation recovers, the sudden re‑supply of warm, oxygenated blood and a change in tissue chemistry can make nerves fire rapidly, which the brain experiences as prickling or “electric” tingling.

In Raynaud’s‑type behaviour, pins and needles usually:

Come on in connection with cold exposure or stress.
Affect the parts of the fingers that go pale or change colour.
Improve as the colour and warmth return.

But pins and needles can also be a sign of nerve compression higher up, for example in the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome) or neck. In those situations, symptoms may:

Be more constant or come on with particular wrist or neck positions rather than cold.
Affect certain fingers more than others in a consistent pattern.
Be present even when the hand looks a normal colour and temperature.

If pins and needles are frequent, present at night, associated with weakness (such as dropping things, thumb weakness, or difficulty doing up buttons), or not clearly linked to cold, it is sensible to mention them to a clinician. Raynaud’s and nerve problems can also occur together, which changes how hands feel and respond to cold.

Sometimes my fingers go bright red and feel hot and swollen when they rewarm – is that normal?

A bright red, hot, tingling phase is common after the white and blue phases of an attack. It reflects:

Sudden widening of small arteries and arterioles (vasodilation) as the spasm eases.
A flush of warm blood into colder tissues.
Short‑term leakage of fluid from small vessels into surrounding tissue, leading to a sense of puffiness or tightness.

For many people with Raynaud’s, this red phase is part of the typical three‑colour sequence:

White or very pale.
Blue or purplish.
Red and warm or hot.

The red phase can be uncomfortable because:

Nerve endings are reacting to the change in temperature and blood chemistry.
Tissues that have been relatively low in oxygen produce substances that sensitise pain fibres, making even normal warmth feel like burning for a short time.

As long as this phase gradually settles towards normal skin tone and comfort, and the fingers are not developing open sores or extreme swelling, it usually represents recovery from an attack rather than damage.

Are cold hands and colour changes always Raynaud’s, or could they be something else?

Not everyone with cold, uncomfortable hands has Raynaud’s. Colour changes can also be caused by:

General sensitivity to cold without clear vessel spasms.
Long‑standing problems with larger arteries higher up the arm, where blood supply is reduced more permanently.
Certain nerve conditions that alter how blood vessels are controlled.
Skin conditions or bruising that change colour for different reasons.

Clues that point more towards Raynaud’s‑type attacks include:

Clear episodes triggered by cold or stress.
Fingers that change colour in recognisable phases – for example white, then blue, then red.
Attacks that come and go, rather than a constant abnormal colour.

Clues that suggest other, potentially more serious circulation problems include:

One hand or one finger much colder and paler than the others most of the time.
Colour that does not move back towards normal with gentle warming.
Severe pain in the hand or arm unrelated to cold, especially if using the arm brings it on.
Wounds or ulcers on the fingers that are slow to heal or get worse.

If you are unsure, or if one hand or finger seems very different from the others, it is important not to assume it is Raynaud’s. A GP can look at the full picture, examine the circulation in the larger forearm and arm arteries as well as the fingers, and decide whether more urgent investigation is needed.

Is it still Raynaud’s if only a few fingers are affected, or one hand is much worse than the other?

Raynaud’s‑type attacks often show some preference:

Certain fingers may be more affected than others.
One hand, often the dominant one, may feel the cold more sharply because it is used more and exposed more often.

It is therefore quite common for Raynaud’s to be more noticeable in particular fingers or on one side, especially early on. Over time, attacks may even out and affect both hands more symmetrically.

However, there are situations where a marked difference between hands is a concern. These include:

One hand being persistently colder, more painful or more discoloured than the other outside of attacks.
One finger becoming stubbornly pale, blue, dark or ulcerated.
New weakness or difficulty using one hand that cannot be explained simply by pain.

In those cases, it is important to seek assessment rather than assuming the behaviour fits primary Raynaud’s. Secondary Raynaud’s (associated with other conditions) and separate circulation or nerve problems can look similar at first glance and need different levels of monitoring and treatment.

How long do Raynaud’s‑type attacks usually last, and when does it count as “too long”?

The length of an attack can vary widely between people and between episodes. You may notice:

Fingers going pale and numb for a few minutes when exposed to cold, then recovering within 10–30 minutes once warmed.
Longer attacks lasting up to an hour or more if hands stay in a cold environment or are not actively rewarmed.
Clusters of shorter attacks through the day when moving in and out of cooler spaces.

In primary Raynaud’s (where no underlying systemic disease is found), attacks are often shorter and recovery is quicker once hands are properly warmed. In secondary Raynaud’s (linked with conditions such as connective tissue disease), attacks may:

Start more quickly at milder temperatures.
Be more intense.
Take longer to settle, even with active warming.

Warning signs around duration include:

Fingers that do not start to regain normal colour within a reasonable time even with careful warming.
Skin that remains very pale, blue, purple or dark for a prolonged period.
Severe pain that does not follow the usual pattern you recognise in yourself.

If that happens, especially if there are ulcers or other signs of tissue damage, seeking medical advice promptly matters. Most people with Raynaud’s never run into serious complications, but a few warning signs do need attention.

I have cracks, sores or skin changes at my fingertips – could these be linked to my circulation?

Yes, skin changes at the fingertips can be linked to circulation problems and repeated Raynaud’s‑type attacks. When fingers repeatedly go through cycles of very low and then higher blood flow:

The skin and underlying tissues are stressed by swings in oxygen supply and temperature.
Small cracks (fissures), especially at the tips or around the nails, may appear because the skin is dry and under strain.
In more severe or secondary Raynaud’s, small ulcers or open sore areas can develop, particularly at pressure points.

Chilblains (painful, itchy red or purple swellings that appear after cold exposure and re‑warming) are another form of cold‑related skin damage that can coexist with Raynaud’s. In chilblains, tiny capillaries in the skin open and leak fluid and blood cells into the surrounding tissue when the area is rewarmed, causing local swelling and inflammation.

These skin changes matter because:

Open or cracked areas can be very painful when exposed to cold or when gripped.
Reduced blood flow means fewer immune cells and nutrients reach the area, so healing is slower and infection risk is higher.
In some conditions, recurrent or non‑healing fingertip ulcers point to more serious underlying vessel or immune problems.

If you notice recurring cracks, sores or changes in skin colour or texture at the fingertips, it is important to mention them to a clinician. Protecting the hands from cold, avoiding minor trauma, and using appropriate dressings or creams can help, but stubborn or deep ulcers always warrant assessment.

When you see your own fingers flipping through white, blue and red, going from numb to throbbing, it can feel random and alarming. Understanding that this is the visible end of an over‑strong reaction in the small vessels is the next step.

Raynaud’s Disease: What It Is and What It Is Not

Once you recognise what your fingers are doing, the next question is whether it fits with Raynaud’s. That means understanding what Raynaud’s actually is, what it is not, and how it sits alongside other circulation problems.

What exactly is Raynaud’s disease, and how is it different from just having cold hands?

Raynaud’s is a way that some people’s small arteries in the fingers and toes react to cold or emotional stress. The core feature is brief, repeated episodes where blood flow to the digits drops sharply, causing clear colour changes and sensory changes.

In a typical attack:

A trigger such as cold air, holding a cold object, or emotional upset occurs.
The smooth muscle in the walls of small arteries in the fingers contracts more strongly than usual.
Blood flow to the skin and superficial tissues falls.
The skin turns pale or white, then possibly blue, and the fingers feel cold and numb.
When the spasm eases, blood flow returns, the fingers flush red, and painful tingling or throbbing follows.

This is different from simply being someone who “feels the cold” in that:

The colour changes are more obvious and sharply demarcated.
Numbness, clumsiness and sometimes pain are prominent.
The behaviour is episodic and closely linked to triggers.

Many people have a milder degree of this reactivity, where fingers feel colder and go slightly paler than other people’s but rarely go fully white or blue. Raynaud’s is usually suspected when the colour shifts are more dramatic and repeatable.

What is the difference between primary and secondary Raynaud’s in everyday terms?

Raynaud’s is often divided into:

Primary Raynaud’s – where there is no identified underlying disease affecting the blood vessels.
Secondary Raynaud’s – where similar attacks occur, but as part of another condition such as a connective tissue disease.

In primary Raynaud’s:

Symptoms often begin in late teens, twenties or thirties.
It is more common in women.
The small vessels are overly reactive, but structurally normal between attacks.
Attacks can be striking and uncomfortable but usually do not lead to ulcers or tissue loss.

In secondary Raynaud’s:

Symptoms may start later in life.
It is often associated with autoimmune or connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
The small vessels and surrounding tissues can be structurally altered or scarred as part of the wider disease process.
Attacks may be more frequent, more severe and slower to recover.
There is a higher risk of fingertip ulcers, infection and tissue damage if the underlying disease is not well controlled.

For many people with primary Raynaud’s, the main worry over time is how much it interferes with day‑to‑day activities – from working at a keyboard to standing at a bus stop – rather than ulcers or tissue loss. In secondary Raynaud’s, those day‑to‑day difficulties are usually there as well, but on top of them there is a higher risk of ulcers and tissue damage because the small vessels and skin are already affected by the underlying disease.

Primary Raynaud’s does not automatically turn into secondary Raynaud’s. Warning signs that raise suspicion for secondary causes include:

Raynaud’s starting for the first time later in adult life.
Significant joint swelling, not just stiffness.
Unexplained rashes, particularly if they are sensitive to sunlight.
Shortness of breath, chest pain, swallowing problems or weight loss.
Thickening, tightening or marked changes in the skin.

If any of these appear alongside Raynaud’s‑type attacks, secondary Raynaud’s becomes more likely and assessment by a GP and often a rheumatologist is important.

Why do the small blood vessels in my fingers clamp down so strongly?

The small arteries and arterioles in your fingers are supplied by nerves from the sympathetic nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system that helps regulate body temperature and the “fight or flight” response.

When you are exposed to cold:

Temperature sensors in the skin send signals towards the brain.
The brain responds by tightening small vessels in exposed areas like fingers and toes.
This reduces heat loss from the surface and helps keep the core of the body warm.

When you are under stress or feeling anxious:

Stress hormones such as adrenaline rise and sympathetic nerve activity increases.
Small vessels constrict as part of a general “prepare for action” response.

In Raynaud’s, these normal responses are exaggerated. The smooth muscle in the vessel wall is overly sensitive to those nerve and chemical signals, so it clamps down harder and faster than needed. In most people, vessels narrow just enough to protect core warmth. In Raynaud’s, the narrowing can be strong enough to drastically cut blood supply to the digits for a short period, which is why the fingers can look completely white or patchy.

In secondary Raynaud’s, structural changes in the vessel wall from the underlying disease – thickening, scarring and narrowing of the inner lining (intima) – can add another layer of reduced flow, even between attacks.

Why do cold air, cold objects and emotional stress all seem to set off similar attacks?

Although cold and emotional stress feel very different, they both:

Increase activity in the sympathetic part of the nervous system.
Lead to the release of substances that tighten small blood vessels.

For example:

Stepping into cold wind cools the skin rapidly, prompting a strong constriction response to conserve heat.
Having an argument, facing a stressful task, or feeling very anxious can cause a surge of adrenaline and related hormones, which act on vessel walls as well as the heart.

In fingers that are already prone to Raynaud’s, these different triggers feed into the same over‑tightening of the small arteries. That is why you may see your fingers go white both when you walk out into cold air and when you are stressed indoors, even if the room temperature itself is not particularly low.

It can be especially frustrating to see attacks start in a meeting or on public transport when you feel stressed but not obviously cold. Understanding that stress and cold share this “tightening” pathway helps explain why that happens.

Can Raynaud’s affect toes, ears or the tip of my nose as well as my fingers?

Yes. Although fingers are the most commonly affected area, other small, exposed parts of the body can also show Raynaud’s‑type changes. These include:

Toes.
Ears.
Tip of the nose.
Sometimes the lips.

The underlying mechanism is the same: small vessels in these areas narrow sharply in response to cold or stress, reducing blood flow and causing colour and sensation changes. For some people, Raynaud’s may be more noticeable in the feet than the hands, particularly in colder environments or when footwear is not well insulated.

The principles of management are similar: keep the whole body warm, avoid rapid cooling of the affected area, and use appropriate clothing or protective gear to reduce triggers.

How can I tell the difference between Raynaud’s and more serious circulation problems in my hands?

Raynaud’s involves temporary, reversible narrowing of small vessels. More serious circulation problems in the arm or hand, such as significant narrowing or blockage of larger arteries in the forearm or upper arm (for example the radial, ulnar or brachial arteries), usually have different patterns. Broadly:

With typical Raynaud’s‑type attacks:

Episodes are clearly linked to cold or stress.
Colour changes are episodic and reversible with warming.
Between attacks, the fingers may look and feel fairly normal, especially in primary Raynaud’s.
Pain is mainly during attacks or as the fingers re‑warm.

With more serious arterial problems:

One hand or arm may feel persistently colder, weaker or more painful than the other, not just in cold conditions.
Pain may come on when using the arm or hand and ease with rest, reflecting a more fixed narrowing of larger vessels.
Wounds or ulcers on the fingers may take a long time to heal or worsen.
Pulses at the wrist or higher up the arm may be reduced.

In secondary Raynaud’s associated with connective tissue disease, there can also be a mixture of vasospastic attacks and more structural vessel changes. That is one reason why recurrent or severe ulcers, blackened areas of skin, or colour changes that do not reverse with warming always need prompt medical assessment.

What are the main long‑term risks if Raynaud’s is not well controlled?

For many people with Raynaud’s – particularly the primary form – the biggest issue over time is how much it gets in the way of everyday life. Repeated attacks can make work with your hands, travel in cold weather and general independence harder. People may start to avoid activities or environments they previously enjoyed because they fear triggering attacks. The repeated discomfort and planning around the condition can feel wearing.

In primary Raynaud’s, it is unusual to develop ulcers or tissue loss if there is no associated disease, but it can still happen. In secondary Raynaud’s, the long‑term risks are higher because:

The small vessels may already be structurally narrowed or damaged by the underlying condition.
The skin and soft tissues may be more fragile.
There may be general effects from the underlying autoimmune or connective tissue disease.

In that setting, repeated or prolonged attacks can:

Contribute to fingertip ulcers.
Delay healing of small injuries.
Increase the risk of infection.
In severe cases, lead to tissue loss at the tips.

Over time, repeated narrowing and re‑opening of already damaged small vessels can further irritate the vessel walls and the surrounding nerves and tissues. That makes them more likely to tighten and hurt in response to smaller triggers. Good control of the underlying disease, along with sensible measures to reduce cold attacks, can significantly reduce these risks.

Who should I see if I think I have Raynaud’s, and what usually happens at an assessment?

If you suspect Raynaud’s, the usual starting point is a consultation with a GP. They will:

Ask about your symptoms – what happens, when, how long it lasts, and what seems to bring it on or ease it.
Ask about your overall health, including joint pains, rashes, breathing, weight changes, tiredness and any other systemic symptoms.
Examine your hands and possibly other areas to look at skin quality, ulcers, joint swelling and pulses.

Depending on what they find, they may:

Reassure you and suggest self‑management and monitoring if the behaviour fits well with primary Raynaud’s and there are no red flags.
Arrange blood tests to look for markers of autoimmune disease or other underlying problems if secondary Raynaud’s is a possibility.
Refer you to a rheumatologist or other specialist if there are signs of connective tissue disease, significant ulcers, or more complex features.

Are there tests that confirm Raynaud’s, or is it mainly based on my story and examination?

There is no single “Raynaud’s test” that can be done in isolation to confirm the condition. Instead, clinicians use:

Your description of attacks – including triggers, colour changes, sensations and timing.
Visual evidence, if available (for example, photographs taken during attacks).
Examination findings – skin quality, ulcers, joint changes, pulses, and the appearance of tiny capillaries near the nails.
Blood tests – to look for signs of autoimmune disease or other systemic conditions when indicated.

One specific examination some specialists use is nailfold capillaroscopy. In this, the small blood vessels at the base of the fingernail (nailfold capillaries) are looked at under magnification to see if their pattern appears normal or shows changes such as swollen, twisted or missing capillaries that can suggest certain connective tissue diseases. This can help distinguish primary Raynaud’s from some forms of secondary Raynaud’s.

In the end, the diagnosis is mostly based on what you tell your doctor and what they find on examination. Tests add pieces of information, mainly to check whether there is an underlying disease that needs separate treatment.

Can medicines, smoking or hormone changes make Raynaud’s attacks worse or more frequent?

Several things can increase the tendency of small vessels to constrict or otherwise affect circulation in ways that influence Raynaud’s. These include:

Smoking – nicotine and other substances in tobacco cause blood vessels to tighten and can damage vessel walls over time. If you smoke and have Raynaud’s, protecting your hands from cold becomes even more important, because your vessels are already under extra strain.
Certain medicines – some blood‑pressure medicines that work by constricting small vessels, and some medicines used for other purposes, can aggravate Raynaud’s‑type attacks. If you suspect a medicine is worsening your symptoms, discuss it with your prescriber rather than stopping it suddenly.
Caffeine and other stimulants – high doses can increase sympathetic nervous system activity, which may worsen vessel spasms in some people.
Hormonal changes – Raynaud’s is more common in women, and symptoms may vary with hormonal shifts over the month or with menopause.

If your Raynaud’s‑type behaviour changes after starting a new medicine, changing dose, or in connection with smoking or other habits, it is sensible to raise this with a clinician. In more severe or secondary Raynaud’s, clinicians sometimes use medicines that relax blood vessels or other treatments. Gloves do not replace those options; they sit alongside them to protect the fingers from day‑to‑day triggers.

Once you know that your fingers are not “just cold”, but are reacting through an over‑strong tightening of small arteries and capillaries, it becomes clearer why certain everyday habits – especially how quickly your fingers cool – make such a difference. The next step is to look at what you can realistically change yourself.

Day‑to‑Day Control: What You Can Change Yourself

You cannot change how far your fingers are from your heart or how you were born wired. You can change how fast your hands lose heat, how strongly they are pushed into attacks, and how they are treated afterwards. This is where simple routines and clothing choices, including gloves, start to matter.

What is the single most important principle for preventing Raynaud’s attacks?

For most people with Raynaud’s‑type symptoms, one principle matters more than most: try not to let the fingers and hands cool rapidly. Sudden drops in skin temperature are a very strong trigger for the vessel spasms described earlier. The faster the skin temperature falls, the more sharply those small arteries clamp down.

In simple terms, you are not trying to make your hands hot; you are trying to stop them swinging between very cold and then warm again in quick succession.

For you, that usually means:

Putting gloves on before your hands feel very cold, not after.
Avoiding direct, bare‑skin contact with very cold objects such as metal rails, freezer drawers and steering wheels.
Reducing the number of times you step straight from warm air into cold wind or draughts with uncovered hands.

Why does keeping my whole body warm, not just my hands, help so much?

The body prioritises blood flow to vital organs in the chest and abdomen. When your overall body temperature drops, the brain’s temperature‑regulating centres detect that the blood running through them is cooler. In response, they:

Tighten small vessels in the skin and extremities (hands, feet, ears, nose) to conserve heat.
Keep more of the warm blood in the core.

If your torso is cold, your fingers are more likely to be sacrificed first in this way. Even with gloves, if your core is not well insulated, the signals to constrict vessels in the hands remain strong.

Wearing enough layers on the body, including a warm layer over the chest and suitable leg coverings, and using a hat and scarf in colder conditions, can make a noticeable difference to how aggressive Raynaud’s attacks feel in the hands. Cold feet can send similar signals, so warm socks and appropriate footwear also matter. Many people find that once they address core warmth properly, their fingers are less keen to flip into the white or blue phases at the slightest chill.

How quickly should I try to warm my hands during an attack, and what is the safest way to do it?

When an attack is under way, the goal is to warm the hands steadily rather than suddenly. Very rapid re‑warming with intense heat can:

Be extremely painful when numb fingers are suddenly exposed to high temperatures.
Risk burning the skin, especially if feeling is reduced.

Safer ways to warm the hands include:

Moving into a warmer place, out of wind and damp.
Tucking hands into warm areas of the body, such as under the opposite arm or inside clothing.
Using warm (not hot) water to gently bring the temperature up over several minutes. A simple guide is that the water should feel comfortably warm on the inside of your forearm – warm enough that you could keep your forearm in it without discomfort, not so hot that you instinctively pull away.
Wearing appropriate gloves or mitts that trap your own body heat and allow it to build gradually.

If using external heat sources such as heat packs or gel gloves, they should be warmed according to instructions so they reach a comfortable, not extreme, temperature. When skin is completely numb it cannot warn you about excessive heat, so it is safer to start direct heat once some colour and feeling are beginning to return.

Are there simple hand and arm movements that can help blood flow during or after an attack?

Gentle movement can help encourage blood flow, as muscle activity in the forearm and hand helps pump blood through the tissues. When muscles contract and relax, they squeeze veins and soft tissues, helping move blood along – sometimes called the “muscle pump” effect.

Simple movements that can help include:

Slowly opening and closing the hands, spreading the fingers out and then making a loose fist repeatedly.
Rotating the wrists gently, within a comfortable range.
Bending and straightening the elbows a few times.
Raising and lowering the arms to shoulder height, or doing small arm swings if space allows.

These actions promote circulation through the muscles and veins, generate a little heat within the muscles themselves, and reduce the tendency to hold the hands rigidly, which can increase stiffness and discomfort later. Movements should be gentle rather than forceful; the aim is to keep things ticking over, not to exercise hard during an attack.

What should I definitely avoid when rewarming very cold, numb fingers?

When fingers are very cold and numb, it is important to avoid:

Very hot water – placing numb hands straight into hot water can cause burns because the protective sensation is reduced and the contrast is extreme.
Direct contact with radiators, open fires or other high‑heat sources – again, the risk of burns is significant.
Rubbing the skin very hard – vigorous rubbing can damage fragile skin, especially if there are already cracks or chilblains. Cold skin is less elastic and more prone to tearing.

Instead, focus on warm, not hot, environments and water; gentle contact and pressure; and gradual re‑warming over time. If, despite careful warming, a finger or area of skin does not move back towards its usual colour and sensation, or becomes very painful in a way that feels different from your normal pattern, it is important to seek medical advice.

How can I reduce triggers in everyday tasks like using the freezer, driving or carrying shopping?

Many day‑to‑day tasks involve brief but intense exposures to cold or cold surfaces. Any sudden contact with very cold metal, plastics or air can drop the skin temperature fast enough to trigger a spasm.

For example:

When using the freezer or fridge, putting gloves on before opening and handling items, rather than only after fingers feel cold, can prevent that initial sharp drop. If gloves are not to hand, using a towel or cloth as a barrier is better than bare fingers on frosty metal.
When driving, having gloves ready to put on before touching a cold steering wheel or gear stick, especially at the start of a journey, reduces the shock to the skin. Some people keep a base‑layer glove on through the drive and add or remove a thermal glove as needed.

The overall aim is to be one step ahead: to put a barrier between your skin and cold objects before the contact, instead of reacting once fingers are already numb and white. The best gloves for Raynaud’s disease are those that make it easier to build these habits into everyday activities.

Apart from gloves, what clothing and layering strategies help someone with Raynaud’s?

Because Raynaud’s is influenced by whole‑body temperature as well as local hand temperature, clothing choices beyond gloves can make attacks less frequent or less severe. Helpful strategies include:

Layering – wearing several thinner layers traps air between them and allows adjustment as environments change, rather than relying on one heavy layer that may be too much or too little.
Covering the head and neck – heat loss from these areas can contribute to cooling of the whole body and encourage the body to tighten vessels in the hands and feet.
Protecting the legs and feet – warm socks and suitable footwear reduce how strongly the body feels the need to clamp down on blood flow to the extremities.
Avoiding very tight clothing that may restrict blood flow, particularly around the arms and wrists.

By keeping the body as a whole in a more comfortable temperature range, there is less drive from the central nervous system to clamp down on blood flow to the fingers at every small change in the environment.

Do lifestyle factors such as smoking, activity levels, sleep and stress really affect Raynaud’s?

Lifestyle factors do not cause Raynaud’s on their own, but they can influence how often and how strongly attacks occur:

Smoking, as mentioned earlier, directly tightens blood vessels and damages their lining over time. Stopping or reducing smoking is one of the most effective non‑drug ways to reduce strain on the circulation.
Regular physical activity helps maintain general cardiovascular health and can improve baseline circulation. It also helps the inner lining of blood vessels (endothelium) work better, which supports more flexible vessel responses.
Poor sleep and high ongoing stress can keep the body in a more “wound‑up” state, with higher baseline sympathetic activity, which many people find makes attacks more frequent or easier to trigger.
Caffeine and other stimulants in large amounts can contribute to this heightened state in some individuals.

These changes will not transform Raynaud’s overnight, but they can reduce the background pressure on your blood vessels and nervous system, making other measures such as gloves and clothing more effective.

Is there good evidence that diet or supplements change Raynaud’s, or should I focus on other things first?

Various diets and supplements are sometimes suggested for Raynaud’s, but the evidence for most is limited or mixed. Broadly:

A balanced, heart‑healthy diet that supports good overall vascular health is sensible.
Maintaining a healthy body weight and managing conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol where present is important for the health of blood vessels in general.
Some supplements and alternative remedies make claims that are not well supported by robust studies.

Many of the studies that exist are small or use different methods, making them hard to compare. Mechanisms are often theoretical and not strongly proven in real‑world use. Before spending significant money or making major dietary changes in the hope of altering Raynaud’s, it is usually more effective to focus first on:

Keeping your body and hands at a steady, comfortable temperature.
Smoking cessation where relevant.
Managing stress and sleep as far as is realistic.
Following medical advice about any underlying conditions.

If you are considering a supplement or major dietary change, it is prudent to discuss it with a clinician, especially if you take other medicines or have other health conditions.

How can I manage Raynaud’s at work, especially in cold offices, warehouses or chilled environments?

Workplaces can be challenging if they are cool, draughty or involve handling cold items. Common patterns include long periods of stillness in cool air, or repeated short trips into colder or refrigerated areas.

Helpful approaches can include:

Wearing a thin base‑layer glove that allows you to type, write or handle paperwork while keeping some warmth around the fingers.
Speaking with your manager or occupational health department about reasonable adjustments, such as avoiding prolonged duties in very cold areas where possible, or allowing suitable hand protection if this is safe for the role.
Keeping warm drinks available to hold periodically, as a gentle heat source, provided you can do so safely.
Taking short movement breaks if you sit still for long periods, to encourage general circulation.
Ensuring your core is well dressed, not just your hands.

Some jobs involve safety‑critical tasks where certain types of gloves are not allowed. In those cases, it is particularly important to explore with employers whether adapted equipment, modified duties or scheduled warming breaks are possible, alongside clinical advice if symptoms are severe.

By now, the overall picture is clearer: small arteries in your fingers are over‑reactive to cold and stress, and attacks are more likely when the hands cool quickly or the whole body is under temperature or stress pressure. Day‑to‑day management is about smoothing out those extremes.

The natural next question is what that means for gloves. Many people assume “the thicker the better”, but Raynaud’s‑sensitive hands need more than just bulk.

What Good Gloves for Raynaud’s Disease Need to Do

At this point, most people ask, “What are the best gloves for Raynaud’s disease?” The answer depends far more on what the glove does around your skin and blood vessels than on how thick it looks on a shelf. A good Raynaud’s glove has to solve several specific problems at once.

What are the key jobs the best gloves for Raynaud’s disease need to do for your hands?

For Raynaud’s‑sensitive hands, the best gloves have several clear jobs. They should:

Slow down how quickly the fingers lose heat to the surrounding air.
Protect against wind and damp, which strip warmth even faster than still, dry air.
Keep the temperature around the fingers steadier as you move between colder and warmer places.
Avoid squeezing or cutting into the fingers and wrists, so blood can still circulate freely.
Allow you to grip and control everyday objects without needing to clench or over‑squeeze.
Feel comfortable enough to wear for the parts of the day when you actually need protection.

Each of these jobs tackles a part of the route from cold fingers to pain. If a glove is very warm but too bulky to use for normal tasks, you may take it off whenever you need to do something, which exposes your hands to repeated cooling. If a glove is slim but does little to slow heat loss or block wind, your fingers may still cool fast enough to trigger attacks. The best gloves for Raynaud’s disease aim to balance these demands, not just provide one type of benefit in isolation.

Why is it not enough for Raynaud’s gloves to be simply thick or fluffy?

Very thick or fluffy gloves certainly add insulation, but on their own they do not solve all the problems Raynaud’s creates. They can also introduce new issues:

Bulky gloves can make it hard to handle keys, cards, bags, or controls. If you keep having to take them off to manage tasks, your fingers are repeatedly exposed to cold air and cold surfaces.
Some very thick gloves are loose around the fingers and wrists, which allows cold air to circulate inside. This reduces the benefit of the extra material.
If the glove is thick but the outer surface is not wind‑resistant, cold wind can still remove heat rapidly from the glove surface, and the warmth inside can leak away.
Thick material can force your fingers further apart and require more effort to grip, which increases strain on joints and tendons, especially if you already have arthritis or overuse pain.

For Raynaud’s, the goal is not just to add material, but to:

Trap a stable layer of warm air close to the skin.
Reduce the direct effects of wind and damp.
Maintain enough dexterity that you can keep gloves on during ordinary tasks.

That is why many people do better with a well‑planned combination of gloves with different strengths, rather than relying on a single very thick pair.

Why do some gloves actually keep my fingers warm, while others seem to make no difference?

Fingers lose heat in three main ways:

Direct transfer to colder air or surfaces (conduction).
Loss of warm air from around the skin, replaced by cooler air (convection).
Evaporation of moisture, for example if the glove or skin is damp from sweat or rain.

A well‑designed glove slows these processes by:

Creating an insulating layer of trapped air around the fingers. Materials with small air pockets reduce how quickly heat moves away from the skin.
Fitting closely enough that warm air stays near the skin, without being so tight that it restricts blood flow.
Limiting the amount of air movement inside the glove, so warm air is not constantly replaced by cold draughts.
Wicking away moisture or at least not holding it tightly against the skin, so sweat is not left to cool you as it evaporates.

For someone with Raynaud’s, even a small reduction in the speed of cooling can make a difference. If the fingers cool more slowly, the small arteries are not driven to clamp down so abruptly, and the whole attack may be milder or might not start at all in situations that would previously have triggered it.

Why do my fingers react so badly in the wind, even if the air temperature is not that low?

Wind has a powerful effect on heat loss. When cold air moves across a surface, it strips away the thin layer of warmer air sitting next to that surface and replaces it with colder air that has to be warmed in turn. It repeats this over and over as long as the wind blows.

On bare skin, this means your fingers lose heat much faster in a cold wind than they do in still air at the same temperature. On a glove, it means:

Heat is drawn out of the glove fabric more quickly.
The temperature inside the glove can drop faster, even if the glove is thick.

Weather forecasts sometimes describe this as a “feels like” or wind‑chill temperature. For Raynaud’s, where small vessels in the fingers over‑react to any rapid cooling, wind can be the difference between tolerable and severe. A glove with a wind‑resistant outer layer can:

Reduce how quickly moving air strips warmth from the glove surface.
Help keep the temperature inside the glove more stable.
Make outdoor conditions feel less extreme to the fingers.

Once you think about wind as something that constantly wipes away the warmth your hands are trying to build, it becomes obvious why blocking wind is as important as pure insulation for Raynaud’s‑sensitive hands.

Do my fingertips really need to be completely covered, or are fingerless gloves enough?

In Raynaud’s, the fingertips are often the first area to change colour and the last to warm up again. They:

Have a large surface area for their volume, so they lose heat quickly.
Are exposed at the ends of the fingers, where wind and contact with surfaces are most direct.
Contain many nerve endings and small vessels close to the surface, making them highly sensitive to temperature changes.

Fingerless gloves leave exactly this vulnerable area exposed. Fashion gloves that stop short of the tip or that ride back and expose the tip when you grip also allow cold air and cold surfaces to hit the part of the finger that is most prone to Raynaud’s.

For preventing Raynaud’s attacks in cold conditions, full fingertip coverage usually works much better:

The glove should extend fully over the tips, even when you flex or reach.
The material should maintain contact so there is no bare skin exposed to air or cold surfaces when you grip.
There should be enough structure that the glove does not fold away from the tip when you press on something.

Fingerless designs have their place for therapy sessions and some detailed tasks, but they are not enough on their own for outdoor prevention in Raynaud’s‑sensitive hands.

Do longer cuffs on gloves actually make a difference to Raynaud’s, or is that just a comfort thing?

The main arteries that supply blood to the hand (radial and ulnar arteries) pass relatively close to the skin at the wrist. This area is an important gateway for warm blood entering the hand and fingers. If that area is exposed, warm blood can lose heat just as it enters the hand.

Gloves or mitts that cover more of the wrist and overlap with your sleeves help by:

Keeping the blood slightly warmer as it enters the hand.
Reducing cold gaps around the wrist where air can get in.
Helping the warmth you build up inside the glove stay there, rather than leaking out at the cuff.

For Raynaud’s‑sensitive hands, this helps reduce cold spots around the wrist that might otherwise encourage vessel tightening and supports a more consistent temperature in the whole hand, not just the fingers.

Why do some gloves rub my knuckles and fingertips raw, and others do not?

When your hands are sore, stiff or affected by skin problems such as chilblains or cracks, the inside of a glove can make a big difference. Ordinary gloves often have:

Thicker seams that run along the sides of the fingers or across the knuckles.
Rougher joins between materials at the fingertip.
Labels or thicker patches in areas that press against bony points.

When you grip, push or rest your hand, those seams and joins can:

Dig into sensitive joints, especially if there is osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis.
Rub across areas of thin or damaged skin.
Create pressure points that become more painful over the course of a day.

Gloves designed with smoother internal seams and careful seam placement help by:

Keeping thicker fabric joins away from the most prominent knuckles and fingertip pads.
Reducing friction on vulnerable skin.
Allowing you to make a fist, grip objects or lean on your hands with less localised pressure.

For people with Raynaud’s plus joint or skin problems, this can be the difference between tolerating a glove for hours and needing to remove it after a short time because it aggravates existing pain.

Why do I end up squeezing things so hard in gloves, and can better grip really help with that?

Cold, numb or stiff fingers have poorer feedback about how firmly they are holding something. When sensation is dulled, many people:

Squeeze harder than necessary, “just in case”, to stop objects slipping.
Hold tension in their hands and forearms for longer.
Use awkward positions to compensate for a lack of confidence in their grip.

Over time, this extra effort can:

Strain the small joints and tendons in the fingers and thumb.
Increase aching in arthritic joints.
Make hands feel tired and heavy much earlier in the day.

Gloves with grip patterns on the palms and fingers can:

Increase friction between the glove and smooth surfaces.
Allow you to maintain a secure hold with less squeezing force.
Reduce the likelihood of items slipping, even if your sensation is not perfect.

For Raynaud’s‑sensitive hands, this means you can maintain better control of cups, tools, rails and steering wheels without having to clamp your fingers as tightly, which in turn reduces joint and soft‑tissue irritation.

People talk about “compression gloves” for Raynaud’s – what does that actually mean, and is it the same as medical compression?

Gentle, even compression in a glove refers to a light, consistent snugness of the material around the hand and fingers. It is quite different from the high‑pressure compression used in medical garments designed to manage conditions such as significant vein disease.

In the context of Raynaud’s and cold‑sensitive hands, low‑level compression can:

Provide a steady contact sensation, which can improve awareness of where your fingers are in space when they feel numb or clumsy. This body‑awareness is sometimes called proprioception.
Support soft tissues and small joints lightly, which some people with arthritis or overuse pain find reduces background ache.
Help reduce small localised swellings by providing a gentle, spreading pressure.

The key things with this kind of gentle compression are:

It should not feel tight, pinching or restrictive.
It should not leave deep marks in the skin after normal wear.
It is not designed to treat serious vascular disease.

In Raynaud’s, squeezing too hard over small arteries can worsen the very lack of blood flow you are trying to avoid. If a glove feels as if it is significantly constricting your fingers or wrists, especially if you already have circulation problems, it is too tight and should be changed for a better‑fitting option.

Why does one single type of glove never seem to be enough when you have Raynaud’s?

A typical day can expose your hands to many different situations:

Cooler indoor environments, such as draughty rooms or workplaces.
Short trips outdoors in cold, windy or damp conditions.
Periods of heavier use, such as carrying bags, doing manual tasks or typing.
Times when the hands are already sore, stiff or recovering from an attack.

Having a spare pair of the same glove is useful if one is lost or gets wet, but it does not solve the problem that what your hands need from gloves changes through the day. A glove that is ideal for one situation is often a poor match for another.

For example:

A glove that is warm enough for standing outside in the wind may be too hot and clumsy to wear for indoor work.
A slim glove that is ideal for typing indoors may not offer enough protection for longer periods outside.
A glove that is good for general use may not be suitable as a direct heat pack when your hands are acutely painful.

That is why many people with Raynaud’s end up using more than one type of glove – often a thin pair for indoors, a thicker or more protective pair for outdoors, and some kind of heat pack for recovery periods. The challenge is that these are often bought separately and do not always work smoothly together.

Once you see your day split into these three needs – indoor protection, outdoor protection and recovery – it makes sense why one glove rarely copes with all of them.

Why More Than One Pair of Gloves Often Works Better Than One

One of the biggest frustrations with Raynaud’s is finding that your “good” gloves still leave you caught out – fingers go white on the way to the car, or ache for hours after being out in wind. Often, the issue is not the quality of the glove but the fact that your hands need different things at different points in the day.

Why does one “good” pair of gloves never seem to cover everything when you have Raynaud’s?

Raynaud’s does not just cause problems outside in very cold weather. Many people notice:

Attacks triggered in cool indoor spaces, such as draughty rooms or certain workplaces.
Difficulties at transition points – walking between buildings, waiting briefly outdoors, or handling cold objects.
Deep aching and stiffness in the hands after a demanding day, even once they are back in a warm environment.

Your joints and tendons are also asked to do very different jobs through the day – from fine typing and handwriting to heavier gripping and carrying. A glove that suits heavier outdoor use may be too much for quiet indoor work. A glove that is perfect for a keyboard may be nowhere near enough for a windy walk.

One single type of glove rarely matches all of these situations well. That is why many people keep at least two different pairs for different parts of the day, and why a third, therapy‑focused option can be useful when hands are particularly sore.

What is a “liner” or base‑layer glove, and why would I wear one indoors?

A base‑layer glove is a thin, close‑fitting glove designed to sit next to the skin for long periods. It usually:

Is made from a soft, stretchy fabric that provides gentle, even contact without tight bands.
Offers low‑level warmth by trapping a layer of air close to the skin.
Allows enough dexterity to type, write, handle paperwork or use equipment.

For someone with Raynaud’s or cold‑sensitive hands, a base‑layer glove can:

Reduce how quickly the fingers cool in mildly cold environments, such as cool rooms or offices.
Provide gentle support around the small joints, which can lessen stiffness and ache, particularly if arthritis is present.
Make it easier to tolerate brief exposures to cooler air indoors, such as walking through unheated corridors or standing near open doors.

Because it is slim, a base‑layer glove can also act as a liner under a thicker thermal glove when you go outdoors, so the skin continues to benefit from the softer inner layer.

How can a really thin glove actually make my hands feel better – doesn’t it need to be thick to work?

When your fingers are cold‑sensitive, they tend to lose feeling and fine control quickly in cooler air. The joints stiffen around the knuckles and middle finger joints, and any seams or rough fabric can feel more intrusive.

A thin, close‑fitting glove helps by:

Providing a constant, light level of warmth around the fingers, slowing the onset of stiffness and numbness.
Giving a steady contact sensation, which can help your brain keep track of finger position even when the fingertips themselves feel dull. This improved body awareness can make clumsy fingers feel more under control.
Smoothing out minor irritations from contact with surfaces, so bony points or sore joints are less exposed to direct pressure.

For many people, wearing this type of glove indoors reduces the number of small, avoidable triggers that would otherwise tip the fingers into a full attack.

What’s the point of putting a thicker glove over a thin one – what does the outer layer really add?

A thermal outer glove is designed to go over a base‑layer glove when conditions demand more protection. It:

Adds extra insulation, increasing the total thickness of material and trapped air between the skin and the outside.
Provides a wind‑resistant and, often, water‑resistant outer surface that slows heat loss in moving, damp air.
Covers more of the wrist so the blood entering the hand stays warmer and cold air is less likely to get in at the cuff.

When used over a base layer:

The inner glove maintains a soft, warm, slightly supportive contact with the skin.
The outer glove shields both the inner glove and your hand from the harsher aspects of the environment and blocks the wind‑chill effect described earlier.

This combination often works better than a single thick glove, because it allows you to adapt quickly: you can remove the outer layer when you come indoors to avoid overheating, while keeping the base layer on to prevent your fingers cooling too far.

How do I stop my hands flaring up every time I go from outdoors back into a warm room?

Moving repeatedly between cold and warm environments is a common trigger pattern for Raynaud’s. Each time you step outside with bare or poorly protected hands:

The skin temperature drops.
The small digital arteries constrict.
A new attack can start.

When you then come indoors again:

The fingers re‑warm.
Vessels dilate.
Return‑of‑blood pain and tingling follow.

Over months and years, this on‑off tightening can irritate vessel walls, nerves and surrounding tissues, making them more likely to react strongly even to relatively small changes.

Layering gloves helps reduce these swings by:

Allowing you to keep a base layer on continuously, so your fingers are never abruptly exposed to indoor air after being snug inside pockets or gloves.
Letting you add or remove a thermal outer glove as you move in and out, without leaving the skin bare.
Smoothing the temperature transitions so the small vessels experience more gradual changes rather than sudden shocks.

Once you see your day broken into these three needs – indoor warmth, outdoor protection and recovery – the idea of three different gloves, rather than one, usually starts to make sense.

What are those gel “therapy” gloves actually for – are they meant to be worn all day or just now and then?

Fingerless therapy gloves with gel inserts are designed to act as a reusable heat pack or, in some cases under advice, a cooling pack for the hand. They:

Have pockets of gel across the palm and back of the hand.
Leave the fingertips exposed so you can check temperature and retain some direct sensation.
Include an adjustable wrist wrap to keep the glove in place and provide optional gentle support.

These gloves are intended for short, focused sessions, not continuous wear through the day, because:

The warmth or cooling they deliver is higher than is comfortable for constant use.
Their role is therapeutic – calming stiff, aching tissues or, where appropriate, settling inflammation – rather than general background warmth.
Long periods at raised or lowered temperature can soften or irritate the skin and increase the chance of problems.

For people with Raynaud’s, warmed therapy gloves are usually most useful after attacks or at the end of the day, once circulation has already returned and the aim is to ease residual ache and stiffness.

When does it help to use heat on my hands, and how do I do that without burning myself?

Gentle heat can be helpful when:

Attacks have settled and your fingers have returned towards their usual colour and baseline warmth, but the joints and soft tissues feel stiff or sore.
You have underlying arthritis or overuse strain that feels worse in the cold and in the evening.
You want to relax tight hand muscles after a demanding day.

Heated therapy gloves help apply heat safely by:

Delivering warmth across a broad area of the hand, rather than focusing intense heat on one small point.
Allowing you to follow clear instructions for how long to heat and how long to use them, keeping temperatures in a safer range.
Leaving fingertips partly exposed, so you can sense if the overall level of warmth is comfortable.

Before putting warmed therapy gloves on, it is important to:

Test their temperature on a part of the body with normal sensation, such as the inner forearm. The warmth should feel pleasant, not hot enough to make you pull away.
Avoid using them over areas with open wounds, obvious infection or very thin, damaged skin.
Avoid placing strong heat on fingers that are still very pale or completely numb; begin once some colour and feeling are starting to return.

Should I ever be using cold packs on my hands, or is that a bad idea with Raynaud’s?

Cooling therapy is sometimes used for:

Short‑term relief of certain soft‑tissue injuries.
Some inflammatory conditions where a clinician has recommended local cooling.

For most people with Raynaud’s or clear cold‑sensitive circulation problems:

Deliberately cooling the hands is not suitable, as cold at the skin surface is exactly what drives the vessel spasms that cause attacks.
Applying cold gloves to already cold or numb fingers increases the risk of skin damage and can worsen symptoms.

If you have another hand problem where a clinician has specifically recommended cooling – for example a tendon flare – and you also have Raynaud’s‑type symptoms, it is important to:

Discuss with them exactly how and when to use cooling.
Avoid placing cold directly on fingers that are already cold, white or numb.
Monitor skin carefully for any signs of excessive redness, pain or surface damage.

Without that individual advice, heat rather than cold is usually the more appropriate therapy for Raynaud’s‑related hand discomfort once circulation has returned.

Can wearing different gloves together actually cut down how often I get Raynaud’s attacks?

Using an effective combination of gloves throughout the day alters the environment around your fingers. Instead of experiencing:

Repeated sharp drops in skin temperature,
Followed by unprotected re‑warming,

your fingers are more likely to:

Stay within a narrower temperature band rather than jumping from very cold to warm.
Warm and cool gradually when you move between different spaces.
Be shielded from the most intense wind and damp.

This means the small digital arteries:

Receive fewer abrupt signals to constrict strongly.
Spend more time in a moderately open state rather than cycling between extremes.
Are less likely to spasm in response to everyday exposures that once would have triggered full‑blown attacks.

Over weeks and months, many people find that this steadier environment reduces the number of full attacks they experience, shortens the attacks that still occur and lessens background joint and soft‑tissue irritation in the hands. It does not change the underlying tendency of the vessels to be reactive, but it changes how often and how strongly that tendency is provoked.

Is there really any benefit in a planned glove bundle, or can I just mix and match what I already own?

Most people with long‑standing Raynaud’s collect various gloves and heat packs over time. Without planning, this can lead to:

Gaps in coverage – for example, no slim glove you can tolerate indoors, or no suitable outer glove that fits over your favourite liner.
Awkward combinations – bulky gloves over thick liners that make your hands feel clumsy, so you avoid wearing them.
Overlapping items that do the same job while another need is left unmet.

A planned combination of gloves, where:

One pair is specifically for day‑long, close‑to‑skin warmth and gentle support.
One pair is shaped and sized to fit over the first and cope with wind and damp.
One pair is reserved for short, focused heat sessions.

tends to:

Make it easier to choose the right protection quickly for each situation.
Reduce the number of times you are caught out with bare or poorly protected hands.
Encourage more consistent use of gloves as part of your daily routine.

This is the idea behind the Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle from NuovaHealth, which groups three RevitaFit designs chosen to work together rather than three similar pairs that fight each other.

How the RevitaFit Three‑Glove Bundle Helps With Raynaud’s Day to Day

The Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle supplied by NuovaHealth brings together three RevitaFit glove designs that were shaped with input from clinicians who regularly see people with Raynaud’s, arthritis and hand pain:

A thin, full‑finger base‑layer glove for steady warmth and gentle support next to the skin.
A full‑finger thermal outer glove to cope with wind, damp and colder outdoor air.
A pair of fingerless gel therapy gloves for short, focused heat (and, in some specific non‑Raynaud’s situations, cooling) sessions.

NuovaHealth chose this particular RevitaFit combination because it matches what clinicians and people with Raynaud’s most often say they have been trying to create by mixing separate gloves and heat packs: something for indoors, something for outdoors, and something to help hands recover.

These gloves are intended for adult use.

How do I pick the right size so all three RevitaFit gloves fit properly together?

The base‑layer and thermal gloves in the RevitaFit bundle come in several unisex adult sizes, while the gel therapy gloves are designed in a single adult size intended to fit most hands for short sessions.

To choose a size that lets the base‑layer and thermal gloves work together:

Use the sizing guide provided, which is based on hand measurements rather than guesswork. Measuring around the palm and along the length of the hand gives a better match than choosing by habit.
Aim for a base‑layer fit that feels snug but not tight. The fabric should make full contact with the skin without digging in at the fingers, knuckles or wrist.
Choose the same size in the thermal glove. These outer gloves are shaped to allow for the base layer underneath, so when you wear both together they feel secure but not cramped.

If you are between sizes, it is usually safer, particularly if you have Raynaud’s or other circulation issues, to choose the larger of the two so that you avoid unnecessary constriction. If your hands tend to swell after heavy use, factor that in and avoid a size that only just feels comfortable on your best day.

If you are unsure after following the size guide, it can be sensible to start with the most likely size and pay attention over the first longer wears: the gloves should not cause tingling, deep marks, or new colour changes of their own. The gel therapy gloves are intended for treatment sessions rather than all‑day wear, so they are made to accommodate a range of adult hand sizes. Their adjustable wrist wrap allows you to set a comfortable level of snugness around the wrist.

How tight should Raynaud’s gloves feel – is it better if they’re snug or a bit loose?

If you have Raynaud’s or known circulation problems, the way gloves feel on your hands is particularly important.

The RevitaFit base‑layer glove should:

Sit close to the skin, with light, even compression.
Feel supportive rather than tight; you should be able to move and stretch your fingers fully.
Leave no areas where the fabric cuts in, especially at the wrist or around the bases of the fingers.

The RevitaFit thermal outer glove, worn over the base layer, should:

Enclose the hand fully, including all fingertips and the wrist area, without squashing the base layer.
Allow you to make a fist and open your hand without excessive resistance.
Not leave deep marks or cause tingling or colour change of its own.

A glove that is too loose allows cold air to move around inside, which undermines warmth and can make the glove twist or slip. A glove that is too tight can itself restrict blood flow, which is the opposite of what is needed in Raynaud’s. The right fit is in between: secure and close‑fitting, without any sense of squeezing or pinching.

What if my fingers are swollen or knobbly from arthritis – how do I size the gloves then?

If you have hand osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, or a tendency for your hands to swell after use, it is worth taking extra care with sizing:

Measure your hands on a typical or slightly “worse” day rather than on an unusually good one, so you do not underestimate your size.
If one hand is noticeably larger than the other, base your choice on the larger hand.
Choose the size where the base‑layer glove feels gently supportive over your widest joints, not stretched to its limit.

With enlarged knuckles or nodules, a base‑layer glove that is slightly looser over these areas is preferable to one that is tight. The RevitaFit thermal glove, in the same size, is designed with enough room to go over the base layer even on a hand with some deformity. If your joints are very deformed or you have large nodules or ulcers, it may be worth discussing glove use with a clinician, as some hands with severe structural change can be difficult to fit with standard designs.

Can I just wear the thin RevitaFit gloves indoors on their own, and will that actually help?

Yes. The RevitaFit base‑layer glove is designed to be worn on its own for extended periods indoors or in mild conditions. Many people notice that:

Their fingers do not cool as quickly in cooler rooms or near draughts.
Background stiffness and ache in the small joints, especially around the knuckles and middle finger joints, is less intrusive.
They are less likely to reach the “white and numb” point in situations that previously triggered attacks, such as sitting in a cool meeting room or working at a keyboard for long periods.

Because the fabric is slim and flexible, this glove can usually be worn while typing, writing, using handheld devices or doing light household tasks. For those whose joints ache more in the cold or after repetitive tasks such as typing, this gentle, steady warmth and support can make end‑of‑day fatigue in the hands feel more manageable.

A common routine with the bundle is:

Putting the base‑layer gloves on in the morning if the house or workplace feels cool.
Keeping them on through the day indoors.
Adding the thermal glove over the top only when heading outside.

The idea is that your skin is continuously in contact with the softer, supportive base layer, while the outer glove is used like a coat – put on and taken off to match the weather.

How does the gentle, even compression in the base‑layer glove support cold‑sensitive joints and soft tissues?

The RevitaFit base‑layer glove provides low‑level, even compression across the hand and fingers. It is not medical‑grade compression, but the snug, elastic fabric:

Lightly braces the small finger joints without locking them, which can ease feelings of looseness or instability in arthritic or overused joints.
Supports the tissues between the thumb and index finger and between the fingers, areas that are often sore in people who pour kettles, carry bags or pinch‑grip objects.
Offers a consistent contact sensation, which can help your brain judge finger position and movement more accurately when numbness or altered feeling is present.

For people with Raynaud’s and co‑existing hand osteoarthritis or tendon irritation, this can mean less end‑of‑day aching after tasks such as typing, carrying, gripping or driving. It gives a sense that the hand moves “more as one” instead of individual joints feeling exposed and vulnerable.

How does the grip on the thin gloves help – will it really stop me having to squeeze everything so hard?

The RevitaFit base‑layer glove has a grip pattern on the palms and along the fingers. These small grip elements:

Increase friction between the glove and smooth surfaces such as mugs, rails, steering wheels or tools.
Reduce the tendency for items to slip in your hand.
Allow you to hold everyday objects securely with less squeezing force.

For someone with Raynaud’s, who may already have dulled fingertip sensation and feel uncertain about how firmly they are holding things, this improved grip can:

Decrease the strain on finger joints and tendons.
Make it easier to carry out everyday tasks without constantly worrying about dropping things.
Reduce the risk of dropping objects when attacks are starting or resolving.

Because the grip pattern is built into a thin, stretchy fabric, it does not make the glove stiff. You can still flex and extend your fingers freely.

How does the fabric and seam design help if my knuckles, fingertips or skin are already sore or fragile?

The RevitaFit base‑layer glove is made with smooth seams that are set away from the most prominent knuckles and fingertip pads. This matters if:

Your knuckles are enlarged and tender due to osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
Your fingertips feel bruised and hypersensitive after Raynaud’s attacks.
You are prone to chilblains, cracks or fragile skin on the hands.

By avoiding thick seams directly over these areas, the glove:

Reduces rubbing when you make a fist or grip objects.
Prevents localised pressure on bony points when you rest your hand on a surface.
Helps protect vulnerable skin from minor knocks during daily activities.

The fabric itself is soft and flexible, so it moves with the hand rather than resisting it. This allows you to keep the glove on for longer periods without creating new sore spots.

Can you still type or handle small items while wearing the base‑layer glove?

The base‑layer glove is intended to be compatible with everyday tasks that require fine control. Because it is thin, close‑fitting and made from a flexible fabric that follows the contours of the hand and fingers, most people find they can:

Type on a keyboard.
Use buttons and dials.
Handle coins, cards or keys.
Manage simple fastening tasks.

There may be a short adjustment period while you get used to the feel of the fabric on your fingertips, but for many, this quickly becomes normal. People with Raynaud’s often report that they feel more confident doing these tasks with the gloves on, because their fingers stay warmer and they have a steadier sense of control.

What makes the RevitaFit thermal gloves better for wind and damp days than normal gloves?

The RevitaFit thermal glove is designed as an outer layer, worn over the base‑layer glove when you are exposed to colder, windier or wetter conditions. It helps reduce heat loss by:

Using insulating materials that trap more of the heat your hands produce, so warmth builds up inside the glove rather than escaping quickly.
Incorporating a wind‑resistant outer surface that slows the removal of warm air from the glove and reduces the wind‑chill effect.
Covering the fingers fully, including the tips, so bare skin is not exposed to cold air or surfaces.

Around the wrist, the thermal glove uses a soft, snug cuff that helps keep warm air inside the glove. This cuff sits comfortably against the skin, without digging in or squeezing, so it does not restrict blood flow into the hand. By fitting closely to the wrist and overlapping with your sleeves, it reduces cold gaps where air can get in and helps the warmth you build inside the glove stay there.

When worn over the base‑layer glove:

The inner RevitaFit glove maintains a gentle, warm contact with the skin.
The thermal glove adds a thicker barrier to cold air, wind and light rain, and the cuff helps seal that warmth in.

In practical terms, this means that walking in cold wind, waiting for transport or running errands outdoors are less likely to trigger rapid cooling of your fingers. The temperature inside the glove remains more stable even if the weather is changeable.

If I wear both pairs together, will my hands feel huge and clumsy?

The RevitaFit thermal glove is sized and shaped with the base‑layer glove in mind. When you wear both together:

The total thickness is greater than either glove alone, but the fit is designed so your fingers are not forced far apart.
The fabrics remain flexible, allowing you to make a fist, open your hand and move your wrist within a comfortable range.
The grip patterns on both gloves work together to maintain contact with what you are holding.

For most daily tasks such as holding a steering wheel, carrying bags, gripping handrails or pushing a trolley, the layered combination provides warmth and protection without making your hands feel excessively clumsy. Very fine tasks (such as threading a needle) will still be easier with only the base layer or bare hands, but the combination is not intended for such precise work.

Will the grip on the thermal glove still work if I’m wearing it over the base glove?

Yes. The RevitaFit thermal glove has its own grip pattern on the palm and fingers. When it is worn over the base‑layer glove:

The outer grip contacts the surface you are holding, while the grip on the inner glove helps prevent the two gloves from sliding against each other.
Your hand, inner glove and outer glove move more as one unit, rather than the outer glove twisting independently.

As a result:

You can maintain secure holds on objects such as steering wheels, rails or tools without having to squeeze excessively.
The risk of the outer glove twisting or slipping when you apply force is reduced. Twisting forces on already sore finger joints can be particularly uncomfortable, so reducing that movement matters.

This is particularly helpful if your sensation is dulled or your joints are already painful, as it limits unexpected movements that could aggravate symptoms.

Why is the wrist coverage on the thermal glove particularly useful for Raynaud’s‑type symptoms?

The RevitaFit thermal glove is cut to cover the wrist area comfortably, with a soft, snug cuff. This matters because:

The main wrist arteries (radial and ulnar) run just under the skin in this region, bringing blood into the hand.
Covering that area helps keep the blood slightly warmer as it enters the hand, rather than allowing it to be cooled at the wrist.
A snug cuff that overlaps your sleeves reduces gaps where cold air can reach bare skin.

For Raynaud’s‑sensitive hands, this helps:

Reduce cold spots around the wrist that might otherwise encourage vessel tightening.
Maintain a more consistent temperature in the whole hand, not just the fingers.
Make outdoor time less likely to trigger attacks, especially in windy conditions.

Because the cuff is soft and has some stretch, it sits close without digging into the skin or squeezing the arteries. The intention is to keep warm air in and cold air out, not to compress the circulation.

On what sort of days is this outer glove most likely to make a noticeable difference?

This thermal glove is often most helpful on days when:

You will be outdoors for more than a few minutes in cold, breezy or damp air.
Temperatures change over the day – chilly mornings and evenings with milder periods in the middle.
You have to move frequently between heated buildings, vehicles and outside spaces.

A typical day with the bundle might look like this:

In a cool house in the morning, you put the base‑layer gloves on after getting dressed so your fingers do not start the day cold and stiff.
When you head out into the wind or rain, you add the thermal gloves over the base layer before stepping outside, so wind and damp do not strip away your hand warmth.
Once inside a building again, you take off the thermal gloves but leave the base layer on, so your fingers do not slowly sink back towards the “cold and useless” zone.
In the evening, if your hands are left aching and stiff after carrying, typing or time outdoors, you use the warmed gel therapy gloves for a short session to ease that stiffness before bed.

This kind of routine is where a planned three‑glove combination often feels most different from a single, compromise pair.

What are the gel therapy gloves in this bundle actually for?

The gel therapy gloves in the RevitaFit bundle are fingerless gloves with built‑in gel pockets across the palm and back of the hand. They are designed to:

Be warmed or cooled to act as a reusable heat or cold pack for the hand.
Provide broad, even contact with the tissues that are often sore or stiff after attacks or heavy use.
Offer an adjustable wrist wrap for added stability or comfort during a treatment session.

They are not intended for:

Continuous wear throughout the day.
Protection against outdoor cold in place of the thermal glove.
Use over open wounds, ulcers or obviously damaged skin.

For someone with Raynaud’s, their main role is usually as a heat therapy tool to ease lingering stiffness and ache in the hand after the fingers have rewarmed.

How do I prepare the gel therapy gloves if I want to use them warm?

To use the gel therapy gloves for warmth, follow the instructions supplied with the product. These typically involve:

Heating the gloves for a specified time and power setting if using a microwave, or
Placing them in hot (not boiling) water, often inside a protective bag to keep them dry.

After heating:

Let the gloves rest for the recommended short period so the temperature evens out.
Check the warmth by touching several areas of the inner surface to skin with normal sensation, such as the inner forearm.
Confirm that the warmth feels comfortably warm, not hot, to that skin.

Only once you are satisfied with the temperature should you slip your hands into the gloves and fasten the wrist wrap to a level that feels snug but not tight. If the gloves feel hotter than expected once on, remove them and allow them to cool for a short period before re‑checking.

How long should I use the warm gel gloves for, and how often can I repeat it?

A typical heat therapy session with the gel gloves might last around 10–20 minutes, depending on your comfort and the guidance in the instructions.

General points include:

Allow the skin to return fully to its usual temperature between sessions.
Do not keep the gloves on for extended periods beyond what is recommended, as prolonged heating can dry or irritate the skin.
Pay attention to any unusual discomfort, itching or redness and stop the session if these occur.

The exact frequency of sessions will depend on your symptoms and any advice you have been given by a clinician. Many people use them:

After coming in from the cold, once colour has returned, to ease residual stiffness.
In the evening, to relax hands that have been heavily used during the day.

When might cooling the gel gloves be used, and when should people with Raynaud’s avoid it?

The gel therapy gloves can also be cooled by placing them in a refrigerator or freezer for a specified time. Cooling may be considered:

For certain soft‑tissue injuries or inflamed areas where a clinician has recommended local cooling, for example a tendon flare.
For some conditions not centred on Raynaud’s, where short cooling can help settle symptoms.

However, for most people with Raynaud’s or clear cold‑sensitive circulation problems:

Deliberately cooling the hands is not suitable, as it can trigger or worsen attacks.
Applying cold gloves to already cold or numb fingers increases the risk of skin damage and can worsen symptoms.

If you have Raynaud’s and are also managing another condition where cooling might be considered, only use cooled gel gloves on your hands if this has been explicitly advised by a clinician who understands your full situation.

What extra precautions are needed if I have reduced feeling, diabetes or known circulation problems?

If you have:

Reduced sensation in your hands (for example due to peripheral neuropathy).
Diabetes.
Known severe circulation problems.

you should take extra care with both heat and cold therapy:

Do not rely on numb fingertips to judge whether a glove is too hot or too cold. Always test on an area with normal sensation or ask someone else to help.
Avoid placing heated or cooled gloves on areas with open wounds, ulcers, obvious infection or very thin skin.
If you are unsure about your ability to sense temperature reliably, seek advice from a clinician before using heat or cold therapy on your hands.

Gloves like these can still be useful for many people in these categories, but they must be used within the safety advice you have been given for your own situation.

What does it actually mean when you say these gloves were designed with clinicians – why should I care about that?

Saying that the RevitaFit gloves were developed with clinician input means that:

Health professionals who regularly see people with Raynaud’s, arthritis and hand pain fed back on design details.
Practical issues that came up again and again – such as short cuffs that left the wrist cold, seams that pressed on sore knuckles, poor grip, or gloves that were too bulky for real‑world tasks – were taken into account.
The final bundle reflects not just ideas on paper, but day‑to‑day experience of what actually helps or hinders.

For you, this is reflected in features such as:

Smoother seams placed away from bony, tender areas.
A soft, snug wrist cuff on the thermal glove that helps keep warm air in without digging in or squeezing the blood supply.
Grip patterns that are effective without making the gloves rigid, and that are sized to work base‑layer plus thermal glove without slipping.
A fingerless layout on the gel gloves that allows you to judge temperature and maintain some functional use during short sessions.

NuovaHealth focuses on products that have a clear, practical reason to help with specific problems. This Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle brings together three RevitaFit designs that were shaped around common frustrations raised by clinicians and by people living with Raynaud’s, rather than three generic gloves.

Why would I get this three‑glove bundle instead of just buying a couple of cheap pairs and a heat pack?

You could try to assemble a similar arrangement by buying:

A thin pair of generic liner gloves.
A separate thermal glove.
An independent heat pack or generic therapy glove.

The challenges with that approach include:

Fit – the outer glove may not be shaped or sized to sit comfortably over the liner, leading to either tightness or excess looseness.
Overlap – you may end up with two gloves that both serve as general warmth layers, but nothing suitable for specific therapy sessions.
Gaps – such as having no slim glove that is comfortable enough for indoor wear, or no outer glove that properly covers the wrist and fingertips.

The RevitaFit Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle brings together:

A base‑layer glove specifically intended for long‑term wear and as a liner.
A thermal glove cut to work over that base layer in the same size, with a snug, soft cuff and matching grip.
A therapy glove designed specifically for short, heated or cooled sessions, with fingerless design and adjustable wrist support.

Buying them as a bundle tends to be more efficient than sourcing each component separately, while giving you a coordinated combination rather than a mix of unrelated items. People who use this bundle often comment that having all three options ready – one for indoors, one for outdoors, and one for recovery – makes it easier to look after their hands without constantly swapping between mismatched gloves and packs.

On what sort of days do people say this three‑glove bundle makes the biggest difference?

This kind of bundle is often most helpful on days when:

Temperatures change over the day – chilly mornings and evenings with milder periods in between.
You have to move frequently between different environments – travelling, going in and out of buildings, or combining indoor work with outdoor errands.
Your hands are doing more than usual – such as carrying, gripping or typing for long stretches.

On such days, being able to:

Wear the base‑layer glove steadily indoors.
Add or remove the thermal glove quickly for outdoor periods.
Use the gel therapy gloves later to soothe sore, stiff hands.

means you can respond to each stage of the day without having to improvise or leave your hands bare while you search for suitable protection.

Are there times when, no matter what gloves I wear, I really just need to see a doctor instead?

Yes. Gloves, even a well‑designed bundle like this, have clear limits. They cannot:

Correct serious blockages or severe narrowing in larger arteries.
Reverse structural changes in the small vessels that occur in some connective tissue diseases.
Replace medicines aimed at controlling autoimmune conditions or other systemic diseases.
Cure neuropathy or restore normal nerve function where nerves are damaged.

If you have:

Non‑healing ulcers or blackened areas on your fingers.
Severe, persistent pain that does not fit your typical pattern.
Rapidly worsening symptoms, spreading numbness, or weakness.
Other worrying signs elsewhere in your body, such as breathlessness, chest pain, fevers or unexplained weight loss.

then gloves are best seen as supportive tools for warmth and comfort while you seek medical assessment, not as the main response.

If your Raynaud’s‑type behaviour is mild – for example your fingers feel colder and more uncomfortable than other people’s in the same room but rarely go clearly white or blue – a good base‑layer glove on its own may be enough for much of the year. The full three‑glove bundle tends to be most useful for people whose fingers regularly change colour or become unreliable in the cold.

When Raynaud’s Is Only Part of the Problem

For some people, Raynaud’s is only one piece of what is going on in their hands. Joint changes, nerve problems, diabetes or connective tissue disease can sit alongside Raynaud’s and make each attack feel sharper, last longer or carry more risk. In that situation, gloves still have a clear role, but they are only one part of the picture.

In all of these overlaps, the RevitaFit bundle is there to support warmth, comfort and protection. It does not replace the need for treatment and monitoring for the underlying condition.

Raynaud’s with Chilblains or Cold‑Damaged Skin

Chilblains are small areas of skin damage that appear after exposure to cold followed by relatively rapid warming. They often:

Present as red, purple or darker patches on the fingers.
Feel itchy, burning or sore.
Sometimes blister or break down.

In chilblains, tiny capillaries in the skin open and leak fluid and blood cells into the surrounding tissue when the area is rewarmed, causing local swelling and inflammation.

When chilblains and Raynaud’s occur together:

Raynaud’s attacks drive the fingers into low blood flow and low temperature, then back out again, which puts repeated stress on already vulnerable skin.
Chilblain areas are more painful when exposed to cold or pressure.
Recurrent attacks can slow healing of existing chilblains and make new ones more likely.

A glove bundle can help by:

Using the base‑layer and thermal gloves to keep fingers at a steadier temperature, reducing the sharp swings that aggravate skin.
Shielding the fingers from minor knocks and friction in daily tasks.

However, gloves should not be worn directly over open, weeping or clearly infected chilblains without medical advice. In those cases, dressings and specific skin care plans may be needed first. Once the skin surface has healed, gel therapy gloves used warm, for short sessions, may help ease residual discomfort, provided the skin is intact.

Raynaud’s with Hand Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis

Hand osteoarthritis involves wear‑and‑tear changes in the small joints, where the cartilage that normally cushions joint surfaces gradually thins. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the lining of joints (the synovium), causing inflammation and, if not treated, joint damage.

Both can cause:

Pain and stiffness around the finger and thumb joints.
Bony swelling or visible joint changes.
Difficulty with gripping, twisting and fine tasks.

Cold often makes these symptoms more pronounced. When either form of arthritis coexists with Raynaud’s:

Joints may already be stiff or sore even before an attack starts.
Raynaud’s adds intense cold and low blood flow, then throbbing re‑warming pain on top.
Hands can feel particularly unreliable after outdoor exposure.

The RevitaFit base‑layer glove can offer steady warmth and gentle compression around the joints during the day, which many people find eases stiffness. The thermal glove reduces how often joints are exposed to cold air and wind, and warmed gel therapy gloves (once skin is intact and circulation has returned) can soothe aching joints after a long day.

These measures will not change the underlying joint disease, but they can reduce one of the triggers – cold – that often makes arthritic hands feel much worse.

Raynaud’s with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Other Nerve Problems

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through a narrow tunnel of bone and ligament at the front of the wrist (the carpal tunnel). It can cause:

Tingling, numbness or burning in the thumb, index, middle and part of the ring finger.
Night‑time symptoms and clumsiness with fine tasks.
Weakness in some thumb movements in more advanced cases.

Other nerves in the arm can also be compressed or irritated in different conditions. These nerve problems can coexist with Raynaud’s, and the combination can be confusing:

Numbness from nerve compression mixes with numbness from low blood flow.
Colour changes from Raynaud’s may draw attention away from underlying nerve issues.
Grip and coordination can feel particularly unreliable.

The RevitaFit bundle cannot decompress a nerve in the carpal tunnel or higher up, so it cannot treat the cause of nerve compression. However, it can:

Keep the palm, wrist and fingers warmer, which some people find reduces the sharpness of nerve symptoms.
Protect the hand from draughts and cold air that often make nerve symptoms feel more intrusive.
Provide a soft layer that makes contact with surfaces more comfortable.

If you have signs of nerve compression – such as night‑time waking, progressive weakness, or wasting at the base of the thumb – it is important to seek assessment. Gloves can then be used as part of your comfort strategy, not as the main treatment.

Raynaud’s with Diabetes or Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is damage to nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by diabetes, some autoimmune conditions, vitamin deficiencies and other factors. Long‑term raised blood glucose in diabetes, for example, can damage small nerves and small blood vessels over time.

In the hands, neuropathy can lead to:

Numbness or reduced feeling.
Pins and needles or burning sensations.
Clumsiness and unrecognised minor injuries.

When neuropathy and Raynaud’s coexist:

Early warning signs of cooling may be dulled, so your fingers can become very cold before you realise.
Numbness from nerve damage combines with Raynaud’s numbness, making sensation very unreliable.
The risk of not noticing burns from heat therapy or damage from cold exposure increases.

The RevitaFit base‑layer and thermal gloves can still be very helpful in protecting hands that have less reliable sensation. They help keep the hands warmer and provide a physical barrier against minor knocks and scrapes, while the smooth seams and soft fabrics reduce rubbing on areas where wound healing may already be slower.

Particular caution is needed with the gel therapy gloves. Heat and cold should not be applied without careful temperature checking on areas with intact sensation, or help from someone else. If your clinician has advised against heat or cold packs on the hands because of neuropathy or diabetes, that advice should take priority.

Raynaud’s as Part of Connective Tissue Disease or Widespread Pain Conditions

Secondary Raynaud’s often appears as part of connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma, lupus or certain forms of inflammatory arthritis. In these conditions:

The small blood vessels in the fingers can become structurally narrowed or scarred over time.
The skin may be thinner, thicker or more fragile depending on the specific disease.
Other organs or joints may also be involved.

These conditions are more common in women and often appear in early to mid‑adult life, although they can occur at other ages.

Raynaud’s can also appear in people with widespread pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, where:

The nervous system processes pain signals in an exaggerated way.
Cold exposure is a common trigger for generalised pain and stiffness.
The pain‑processing centres in the brain and spinal cord become more sensitive (central sensitisation), so normal sensations, like mild cold, can feel much more painful than they otherwise would.

In these settings:

Raynaud’s attacks may be more frequent and more severe.
Tissue damage at the fingertips is more likely if the underlying disease is not well managed.
Cold‑induced hand pain may feed into a wider pattern of fatigue and pain.

The RevitaFit bundle cannot alter the underlying immune activity or central pain processing, but it can reduce one key trigger – cold exposure – by keeping the hands at a more consistent temperature. It can also provide gentle support and cushioning for joints and soft tissues that are already under strain, and offer a practical, non‑drug way to ease some of the day‑to‑day hand discomfort that sits alongside systemic symptoms.

It should always be used alongside, not instead of, regular follow‑up and treatment with the clinicians looking after your underlying condition.

Safety, Limits and When to Seek Further Help

Most people with Raynaud’s never develop ulcers or serious damage to the fingers. Gloves and sensible day‑to‑day steps can make a real difference. At the same time, it is important to be clear about what this kind of glove bundle can and cannot do, and which warning signs mean you should seek medical advice promptly.

What can a good Raynaud’s glove bundle realistically help with?

A well‑chosen combination of gloves can realistically:

Reduce how often your hands are exposed to rapid cooling and harsh weather.
Soften and shorten some attacks by smoothing out temperature changes.
Decrease background joint and soft‑tissue irritation by providing warmth and gentle support.
Make daily tasks more manageable by improving grip and reducing the need to over‑squeeze.
Offer a simple way to use gentle warmth (and in some cases cooling on separate advice) to ease stiffness and ache.

For most people, the aim is fewer and milder attacks, and a day‑to‑day life that feels more manageable, rather than a complete disappearance of Raynaud’s‑type behaviour.

What will no glove bundle – including this one – change in your circulation or immune system?

No glove bundle, however well designed, can:

Remove significant blockages or structural narrowings in larger arteries.
Reverse long‑standing changes in small blood vessels caused by connective tissue disease.
Alter the behaviour of the immune system in autoimmune conditions.
Replace disease‑modifying medicines for inflammatory arthritis or other systemic conditions.
Cure neuropathy or restore normal nerve function where nerves are damaged.

Gloves influence the environment around your hands. They do not directly change the underlying biology of your blood vessels, immune system or nerves. They are tools for comfort, protection and practical management, not treatments for the root causes of Raynaud’s or other diseases.

Can gloves like this treat serious circulation problems?

No. Gloves like these:

Help manage cold, discomfort and some of the day‑to‑day impact on your hands.
Do not treat serious circulation problems affecting larger arteries in the arm or elsewhere in the body.
Should not be relied on in place of medical assessment and treatment if you are worried about serious vascular disease.

If you have been told you have significant arterial disease, or if you have symptoms such as painful walking in the limbs, constant coldness in one limb, or non‑healing ulcers, that needs direct medical management. In that situation, gloves can still have a role in comfort and protection, but they do not address the underlying circulation disease.

When should you stop relying on gloves and seek medical advice urgently?

You should seek prompt medical advice, and not rely on gloves alone, if you notice:

Ulcers, sores or cracks at the fingertips that do not heal or are getting worse.
Areas of skin on the fingers that are very pale, blue, purple, black or dark and do not move back towards normal colour with careful warming.
New, severe pain in the fingers, hand or arm that does not fit your typical pattern of Raynaud’s attacks.
Rapidly increasing swelling, redness or warmth in the hand, which could suggest infection or another problem.
Spreading numbness, weakness or clumsiness in the hand or arm, especially if it affects function.
Associated symptoms such as chest pain, breathlessness, fevers, unexplained weight loss, or significant fatigue.

Some of these signs may indicate problems beyond Raynaud’s alone, such as serious circulation problems, infections or other systemic diseases. In these situations, gloves may still be used for warmth and comfort as advised, but they should sit alongside urgent assessment and treatment rather than being your main response.

How This Raynaud’s Glove Bundle Fits Into Your Care

By now, you have seen how Raynaud’s‑type symptoms behave, why they happen, what you can change day to day, and what good gloves need to do. The RevitaFit Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle from NuovaHealth is designed to put those ideas into practice in a simple, repeatable way.

Why do my hands behave like this, in one simple picture?

When you live with Raynaud’s‑type symptoms, the main points are:

The small arteries and arterioles in your fingers are over‑sensitive to cold and stress. They clamp down more than they need to, cutting down blood flow for a time.
This leads to the familiar sequence of colour changes and sensations – white and numb, then possibly blue, then red and throbbing as blood returns.
Repeated attacks, and the rapid swings in temperature and blood flow that go with them, can irritate joints, tendons, nerves and skin over months and years.
Other conditions such as arthritis, neuropathy or connective tissue disease can sit alongside Raynaud’s and make attacks feel worse, last longer, or carry more risk.

All the explanations in this guide – and each part of the RevitaFit Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle – are aimed at calming that cycle by managing temperature and mechanical stresses at the level of the hand.

How does using this kind of three‑glove bundle put the Raynaud’s advice into everyday life?

The central management ideas for Raynaud’s‑type hands are to:

Prevent fingers cooling quickly.
Keep the whole body, not just the hands, reasonably warm.
Rewarm fingers gradually when attacks happen.
Protect joints and soft tissues that are already under strain.
Use gentle heat sensibly when circulation has returned.

The RevitaFit Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle turns those ideas into something you can actually do day to day:

The thin base‑layer glove helps stop your hands dropping into the cold “danger zone” indoors and in mild conditions. It provides steady warmth and light support for small joints and soft tissues while you work or move around.
The thermal outer glove takes the sting out of wind and damp when you step outside, protecting the fingertips and wrists and slowing down the sharp cooling that triggers spasms. Its soft, snug cuff helps keep warm air inside the glove without squeezing the blood supply.
The gel therapy gloves give you a safe way to apply warmth (and, in some specific non‑Raynaud’s situations, cooling) when your hands are already aching and stiff, helping them recover after more demanding days.

Instead of trying to make one pair of gloves do everything, you have one for steady indoor protection, one for harsher outdoor conditions, and one for focused recovery sessions.

Where does this RevitaFit three‑glove bundle fit alongside everything else I’m doing for my Raynaud’s?

This bundle is one part of managing Raynaud’s and cold‑sensitive hands. It:

Handles the temperature and mechanical side – warmth, wind protection, grip and gentle support around the hand.
Helps you follow the main day‑to‑day advice without constantly having to improvise.
Does not replace medicines, investigations, or regular reviews for conditions such as connective tissue disease, diabetes, arthritis or neuropathy.

Think of it as a practical way to protect and support your hands, while your GP or specialist looks after diagnosis, monitoring and any medication or systemic treatment you may need. Many people find that combining sensible self‑management (including an appropriate glove bundle) with medical care gives the best balance of symptom control and safety.

How do I know if now is the right time to try this bundle?

It may be a sensible option to consider if:

Your main problems are cold‑triggered colour change, numbness and stiffness in the fingers.
You recognise the behaviour described earlier – pale or blue phases, then red, throbbing re‑warming – and have been told, or strongly suspect, this is Raynaud’s or Raynaud’s‑type behaviour.
You find yourself constantly swapping between thin indoor gloves, thicker outdoor gloves and improvised heat packs, without them working smoothly together.
You want a clearer, more organised way to protect your hands through a typical day in cooler weather.

You should prioritise medical review first if:

You have ulcers, blackened areas, severe pain, or non‑healing sores at your fingertips.
Your Raynaud’s‑type behaviour has changed suddenly or is much worse in one hand than the other.
You have new symptoms elsewhere, such as fevers, breathlessness, chest pain, weight loss or obvious joint swelling.

If you are unsure, you can:

Discuss your hand symptoms and your interest in using a three‑glove bundle at your next appointment, mentioning any other diagnoses you have.
Ask specifically whether there are any reasons you should avoid particular glove types, compression levels or heat therapy in your own case.

You decide what you use on your hands. A GP or specialist can help you check that what you are using fits safely with your diagnosis and other treatments.

What is a realistic next step if this sounds like my hands?

If your hands sound like the ones described here – changing colour in the cold, going numb and throbbing as they warm – and you want a structured way to protect them through the day, the RevitaFit Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle from NuovaHealth is a practical next step to consider.

Most people need to use the base‑layer and thermal gloves regularly on colder days, and the gel gloves after harder days, for a few weeks before they can say how much difference the bundle is making in everyday life. It will not replace medical care for underlying conditions, but it can make the everyday impact of Raynaud’s and cold‑sensitive hands more manageable.

If you are ready to explore a more joined‑up glove approach, you can view the Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle on NuovaHealth, alongside other hand‑warming and support options, and decide – with or without your clinician’s input – whether it fits your needs.

Important Information and Disclaimer

The information in this guide is general guidance about Raynaud’s‑type symptoms, cold‑sensitive hands and related conditions, and about how the RevitaFit Raynaud’s Gloves Bundle supplied by NuovaHealth may help with warmth and comfort. It is not personal medical advice for any individual.

This glove bundle is intended for adult use. It is designed to support comfort, warmth and hand function. It does not treat or cure Raynaud’s disease, connective tissue diseases, diabetes, neuropathy, arthritis or other systemic conditions, and it does not treat serious circulation problems in larger arteries. It should not be relied on in place of medical assessment, monitoring or prescribed treatments.

Heat and cold therapy must be used sensibly. Always follow the instructions supplied with the gel therapy gloves. Check temperature carefully before use on an area of skin with normal feeling, and avoid applying heat or cold to areas with open wounds, ulcers, clear infection or severely reduced sensation. If you have neuropathy, diabetes or known circulation problems and are unsure about your temperature sense, seek clinical advice before using heat or cold on your hands. Stop using the product and seek advice if you notice skin damage, blistering, marked colour changes that do not settle, or new pain.

If you have severe or rapidly changing symptoms, ulcers, blackened areas, major loss of function, or concerning signs elsewhere in your body, speak to a GP or other appropriate clinician promptly. No product can guarantee specific outcomes. How much difference this glove bundle makes will vary between individuals, depending on your underlying condition, overall health and how you use the gloves.