Disorder that makes your hands turn white or blue when it's cold affects millions

The middle of January well and truly marks the middle of winter and usually the coldest temperatures we will experience in the UK all year.

While many of us will complain about the freezing conditions - it is weather after all, it's what we like to bang on about - some have it harder than others.

One group of people who don't enjoy this time of year are those who have the disorder known as Raynaud's.

The condition, which may affect up to 10 million people in the UK, causes blood vessels to narrow in response to the cold or stress and anxiety.

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It means that little or no blood at all flows to the more commonly affected body parts - which is typically the hands, fingers and toes.

The results of this are quite scary as the affected area can turn white, blue and even yellow.

But fear not, as the NHS says that Raynaud's does not typically cause severe problems and you can often treat the symptoms by simply keeping warm.

The disorder is actually quite common too, with it affecting up to ten million people in the UK, according to the charity Scleroderma and Raynaud's UK.

There are two forms of Raynaud's - primary and secondary.

Primary - also known as Raynaud's disease - is the more common with symptoms usually developing in your teens and 20s.

However, secondary - also known as Raynaud's phenomenon - usually happens because of an underlying condition such as scleroderma.

People diagnosed with secondary Raynaud's also may be more prone to complications such as finger ulcers or sores.

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Rachel Smith is one person who is affected by Raynaud's, with the winter being a real season of dread for her.

When Smith has an attack, her fingers become white, then yellow and eventually turn blue. She is also met with a great deal of pain as she struggles to get any sensation in her hand.

Speaking to TODAY.com, Smith said: "It feels like the tingling when your hand falls asleep, but magnify that by a thousand.

"The ears are the worst. If I know I’m going to be outside, and it’s cold or windy, I have to have a beanie.

"I’ve described it as someone putting a knife in my ear and turning it. It’s very painful."

And it's not just when she is outside that Smith has to be mindful, as she also has to be careful when holding a cold drink and entering an air-conditioned room.

No matter what time of year it is, Smith always has a jacket or a blanket in her car and gloves stashed in her purse.

She said: "I hate when people just brush it off as ‘You’re just extra sensitive to cold. It’s a legit disease.”