Skin Allergy and Hives: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment — When to Seek Urgent Help

A skin allergy is an exaggerated immune response to a substance that shows up as redness, rash, welts and itching. Its most common form is hives (urticaria): itchy raised welts, like nettle stings, that fade without a trace within hours. Most hives settle without consequences, but sometimes they signal a condition that needs urgent help.

Call an ambulance right away (103)

Do not wait — call emergency services if:

• the lips, tongue, eyelids or face swell quickly;
• breathing becomes difficult, with wheezing or tightness in the throat;
• swallowing is hard or your voice changes;
• you feel dizzy, very weak or faint;
• the rash spreads fast after a wasp or other insect sting, a new medicine or a food.

These can be signs of angioedema or anaphylaxis.

Types of skin allergy

• Hives (urticaria) — itchy pink or white welts that move around the body and fade within 24 hours.
• Allergic contact dermatitis — redness, blisters and itching where the skin touched an allergen: nickel, hair dye, cosmetics, latex, some ointments.
• Drug allergy — a rash over the body after starting a new medicine.
• Atopic dermatitis — a chronic itchy rash in people prone to allergy; there is a separate article about it.

What causes hives?

Acute hives (up to 6 weeks) are often linked to a specific cause:

• foods — nuts, seafood, eggs, citrus fruit, chocolate;
• medicines — some antibiotics, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs;
• viral and bacterial infections — especially in children;
• insect stings.

Chronic hives (longer than 6 weeks) often have no clear external cause — it is a feature of how the immune system works. Sometimes physical factors set off the welts: cold, heat, pressure (a belt or bag strap), sun, sweat, rubbing. Stress and infections can make it worse.

How is it diagnosed?

Welts often fade before the doctor's visit, so take a photo of the rash on your phone. The dermatologist will ask:

• when and after what the rash appears, and how long it lasts;
• which medicines, foods and cosmetics you used;
• whether there was swelling or other symptoms.

For chronic hives the doctor may order tests. A food and allergen diary helps find the cause. Testing for "all allergens" is usually unnecessary: the doctor chooses the tests.

How is it treated?

• Removing the cause — avoiding the identified allergen, medicine or trigger.
• Antihistamines — the mainstay of hives treatment; the doctor chooses modern non-drowsy medicines and the dose.
• Contact dermatitis — avoiding the allergen and anti-inflammatory topical treatment.
• Severe chronic hives — if antihistamines do not help, immunobiological therapy may be used. This modern treatment is given only under a doctor's supervision.

Do not take steroid medicines on your own: they are prescribed only as short courses when indicated.

What to do at home

• When a rash appears, think back to any new medicine, food or cosmetic and tell your doctor.
• Avoid hot baths, saunas and tight clothing — they make welts worse.
• A cool compress eases the itch.
• Do not use folk remedies that promise to "cleanse" allergy, or scented creams.
• Write down the name of any medicine you are allergic to and tell every doctor.

Skin allergy treatment in Fergana and Kokand

At Radeski Skin Clinic a dermatologist examines the rash, tells hives apart from contact dermatitis and other conditions, orders tests when needed and builds a treatment plan. For severe chronic forms the clinic offers immunobiological therapy.

• Skin allergy — in brief;
• Dermatologist in Fergana — visits, prices and doctors;
• Dermatologist in Kokand — visits at the Kokand branch;
• similar complaints: Itchy skin: causes, Eczema, Atopic dermatitis.

If hives keep coming back or last longer than 6 weeks, do not just put up with them: with the right treatment most patients get the rash fully under control.