How does glabrous skin cooling work?

Glabrous skin cooling involves using cool but not excessively cold objects or surfaces to effectively lower body temperature through specific areas like the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and the upper portion of the face. These areas contain arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs), special vascular structures that allow direct connections between arteries and veins, facilitating rapid heat exchange without the intermediate capillaries typical of other bodily regions. This setup enables significant body heat to be dumped very efficiently, improving both physical and cognitive performance by cooling the blood circulating through these AVAs.

The technique involves ensuring that the cooling objects or surfaces are sufficiently cool to lower heat without causing vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels), which would inhibit heat removal. Commercial products like CoolMitt have been designed to facilitate glabrous skin cooling effectively during exercise or in heat stress scenarios. Ensuring proper temperature and application is crucial to maximizing the benefits of this cooling technique while preventing potential negative effects due to excessive cooling 1 2 3 4.