COVID toes

noun

variants or Covid toes or less commonly COVID toe or Covid toe

: an uncommon condition that occurs either as a symptom of COVID-19 or after an individual has recovered from the illness and that is characterized by swollen and discolored toes or sometimes fingers and that may be accompanied by blisters, raised bumps, itching, or burning sensations

The AAD [American Academy of Dermatology] says children, teenagers and young adults are most likely to develop COVID toes, although it can happen to anyone of any age.

—Emery Winter

Shortly after the pandemic erupted last year, doctors were baffled by a surge of patients, mostly teenagers and young adults, who came in complaining of … painful lesions on their toes, and sometimes also on their fingers. The condition came to be called Covid toes.

—Roni Caryn Rabin

What's especially strange about COVID toes is that it often occurs weeks after the initial COVID-19 exposure.

—Joe Millitzer

While experts can't confirm why COVID toes appear, they have some educated guesses. One could be inflammation in the toes' tissue. … Another hypothesis is inflammation of the blood vessel wall, medically known as vasculitis.

—Adrianna Rodriguez

Examples of COVID toes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Treatment Options COVID toes can disappear without treatment. —Korin Miller, Health, 28 Sep. 2023

The top layer of your skin may peel away as COVID toes heal. —Colleen Murphy, Health, 4 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

2020, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

COVID toes

noun

variants or Covid toes also COVID toe or Covid toe

: an uncommon condition that presents either as a symptom of COVID-19 or after an individual has recovered from the illness and that is characterized by swollen and discolored toes or sometimes fingers and may also be accompanied by blisters, raised bumps, itching, or burning sensations

With COVID toes, there often is a delayed presentation of … lesions after the onset of other COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough, headache, and sore throat. It has been described more often in younger patients and those with milder disease.

—Stephanie S. Lee et al., Cutis

Among the unusual dermatologic presentations are the so-called COVID toes, inflammatory nodules of the feet and toes, sometimes involving the hands and fingers. These lesions mimic … chilblains.

—Merav Koschitzky et al., Clinics in Dermatology