I've got rotten circulation problems in my hands so when I cycle in the cold I get these nasty horrible itchy swellings all over my hands usually on my fingers the pain makes me want to crawl up the walls and then I go into the warm it gets that unbearable I can't sleep, when the weather is warmer they disappear till the following winter!! basically as quoted by sum nice chap earlier!! Wearing gloves does not really stop it happening in the first place!!