When you break out in hives, you want relief fast.
This common skin reaction is characterized by itchy bumps or raised, swollen patches. Fortunately, hives are usually harmless and short-lived, a Chicago dermatologist says.
“A single hive tends to last for a few minutes to a few hours. Most hives clear within 24 hours,” Dr. Danilo Del Campo said in an American Academy of Dermatology news release.
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What causes hives?
Several factors, including sunlight, stress and an allergic reaction to food or medicine, can cause hives, also known as urticaria.
While anyone can get hives, Black women, people who have eczema, and smokers are at increased risk.
A 2020 study examined the ability of 177 medical students to accurately identify dermatologic conditions in white skin and skin of color. Researchers found that only 57.5 percent of the students correctly identified hives in skin of color.
How hives appear on Black and brown skin can vary from person to person.
If you have darker skin, hives are often the same color or slightly darker or lighter. If you have lighter skin, hives will appear red or pink.
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For some people, hives may appear for no identifiable reason. In fact, for 50 percent of patients with hives, the cause is unknown. However, in many cases, hives can appear after the following:
- eating a specific food
- taking a medication
- coming into contact with a particular thing, such as latex or a cosmetic product
- exercising
- experiencing a high level of stress
Home remedies for hives
Del Campo offers these tips to get relief from hives:
- Ease itchiness with a cool, damp washcloth, anti-itch cream or lotion, or colloidal oatmeal baths.
- Try not to scratch, which irritates your skin more. Keeping fingernails short can reduce scratching.
- Bathe in warm water. Don’t rub the itchy skin with a washcloth, loofah or mesh sponge. It’s best to apply soap or cleanser by gently putting it on your skin with your hands.
- Use a fragrance-free cleanser rather than an unscented one. An unscented product contains a fragrance that’s been covered up so that you cannot smell it. Because an unscented product contains fragrance, it can still irritate your skin.
- Wearing loose-fitting, 100% cotton clothing can reduce the irritation on your skin.
- If you often get hives or they last a long time, keep track in a journal. This can help you identify what’s triggering your hives, so you can take steps to prevent them.
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When to see a doctor
“If your hives don’t clear after following these tips, talk to a board-certified dermatologist,” Del Campo says.
Get immediate medical care or go to the nearest emergency room if you have hives along with any of the following: problems swallowing, feeling light-headed or faint, have swelling in your mouth or throat, a racing heart or shortness of breath or trouble breathing.
Even if your skin is irritated and inflamed, skin reddening, or erythema, may not always be visible.
Instead, you may experience skin welts from hives that appear similar in color to your skin tone or slightly lighter or darker. What’s causing your hives may have an effect on their appearance. This makes it harder to identify hives on Black skin.
Hives typically go away with the use of home remedies and OTC antihistamines. However, you should speak with your doctor if:
- Your hives last longer than a few days.
- Your hives are severe or cover a large area of your body.
- You believe your hives are caused by an allergy.
