What are hives and how do they differ from mosquito bites. What causes hives to appear on the skin. How can you effectively treat and prevent hives. When should you seek medical help for hives. What are the long-term implications of living with chronic hives.

Understanding Hives: More Than Just Mosquito Bites

Hives, medically known as urticaria, are a common skin condition that affects approximately 20% of people at some point in their lives. While they may resemble mosquito bites, hives are distinct in their nature and causes. These red, raised bumps on the skin can vary in size, from small mosquito bite-like spots to several inches wide, and are often accompanied by intense itching.

Unlike mosquito bites, which are caused by insect bites, hives result from the body’s release of histamine, a chemical involved in the immune response. This release can be triggered by various factors, including allergies, stress, infections, or certain illnesses.

Key Characteristics of Hives

• Can appear anywhere on the body
• May be singular or grouped in large clusters
• Often mobile, moving from one area of the body to another
• Can persist for varying durations, from minutes to months
• Frequently accompanied by skin swelling, particularly in areas like lips, ears, and eyelids

Identifying the Symptoms: When to Suspect Hives

Recognizing hives is crucial for proper treatment and management. While they share some similarities with other skin conditions, hives have distinctive features that set them apart.

Common Symptoms of Hives

• Red or pink raised welts on the skin
• Intense itching or burning sensation
• Sudden appearance and disappearance of bumps
• Blanching (turning white) when pressed
• Potential swelling of surrounding tissues (angioedema)

Do hives always itch? While itching is a common symptom, some people may experience hives without significant itching. The severity of symptoms can vary from person to person and even between episodes in the same individual.

Unraveling the Causes: Why Do Hives Occur?

The development of hives is fundamentally linked to the release of histamine in the body. However, the triggers for this release can be diverse and sometimes elusive. Understanding these triggers is key to managing and preventing hives effectively.

Non-Allergic Causes of Hives

Contrary to popular belief, most cases of hives are not related to allergies. Some common non-allergic triggers include:

• Viral infections (e.g., common cold, strep throat)
• Emotional stress and anxiety
• Physical exertion and exercise
• Exposure to extreme temperatures
• Pressure or friction on the skin
• Sunlight exposure

Allergy-Related Hives

While less common, allergic reactions can indeed cause hives. These triggers are often more serious and may be associated with anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Allergic triggers may include:

• Certain foods (e.g., eggs, peanuts, shellfish)
• Medications (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen)
• Environmental allergens (e.g., pollen, animal dander)
• Insect stings or bites

Can stress alone cause hives? Yes, emotional stress is a recognized trigger for hives in some individuals. The exact mechanism is not fully understood, but it’s believed that stress can impact the immune system and lead to histamine release.

Effective Treatment Strategies for Hives

The treatment of hives focuses on alleviating symptoms and identifying potential triggers. The approach may vary depending on the severity and duration of the condition.

Managing Mild Hives

For mild cases of hives, the following strategies can be effective:

1. Over-the-counter antihistamines (e.g., loratadine, cetirizine)
2. Cooling the affected skin with ice packs or cold showers
3. Avoiding known triggers
4. Wearing loose, comfortable clothing

Treating Severe or Chronic Hives

More severe or persistent cases may require additional interventions:

• Prescription-strength antihistamines
• Short-term use of oral corticosteroids
• Immunosuppressant medications
• Biologics like omalizumab (Xolair®) for chronic cases

How long does it take for hives to disappear with treatment? The duration can vary significantly. Some hives may resolve within hours, while others can persist for days or even weeks. Chronic hives, defined as lasting more than six weeks, may require long-term management strategies.

Preventing Hives: Strategies for Reducing Recurrence

While not all cases of hives can be prevented, certain strategies can help reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks.

Key Prevention Strategies

• Identifying and avoiding known triggers
• Managing stress through relaxation techniques or therapy
• Maintaining good skin hygiene
• Keeping a symptom diary to track potential triggers
• Wearing protective clothing when exposed to potential irritants

Is it possible to develop immunity to hives over time? While some individuals may experience fewer hives as they age, true immunity is not typically developed. However, understanding and managing triggers can significantly reduce the frequency of outbreaks.

When to Seek Medical Help: Recognizing Serious Symptoms

While most cases of hives are not life-threatening, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention. It’s crucial to recognize the signs of a severe allergic reaction or chronic hives that require professional management.

Emergency Symptoms

Seek immediate medical care if hives are accompanied by:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling of the tongue or throat
• Dizziness or fainting
• Abdominal pain or vomiting

These symptoms may indicate anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate treatment with epinephrine.

When to Consult a Doctor

Consider scheduling a medical consultation if:

• Hives persist for more than six weeks
• Over-the-counter treatments are ineffective
• Hives significantly impact daily life or sleep
• You suspect a specific trigger but are unsure

Can hives be a sign of an underlying health condition? In some cases, chronic hives may be associated with autoimmune disorders, thyroid problems, or other systemic conditions. A healthcare provider can help determine if further testing is necessary.

Living with Chronic Hives: Long-Term Management Strategies

For individuals with chronic hives, developing effective long-term management strategies is essential for maintaining quality of life and minimizing the impact of the condition.

Coping Strategies for Chronic Hives

• Adhering to a consistent treatment plan
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques
• Joining support groups or seeking counseling
• Exploring alternative therapies under medical supervision
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle to support overall immune function

How does chronic hives affect daily life? Chronic hives can significantly impact various aspects of life, including sleep, work productivity, and social interactions. Developing a comprehensive management plan with a healthcare provider can help mitigate these effects and improve overall quality of life.

Advances in Hives Research: New Treatments and Understanding

The field of hives research is continuously evolving, with new insights into the underlying mechanisms and innovative treatment approaches emerging.

Recent Developments in Hives Treatment

• Targeted biologic therapies for chronic spontaneous urticaria
• Improved understanding of the role of autoimmunity in some cases of chronic hives
• Exploration of the gut-skin axis and its potential influence on hives
• Development of more specific antihistamines with fewer side effects

What does the future hold for hives treatment? Ongoing research is focused on developing more personalized treatment approaches, identifying new therapeutic targets, and improving our understanding of the complex immunological processes involved in hives. These advancements hold promise for more effective management strategies in the future.

In conclusion, while hives can be a frustrating and sometimes alarming condition, understanding its causes, recognizing its symptoms, and implementing effective treatment and prevention strategies can significantly improve outcomes for those affected. By staying informed about the latest developments and working closely with healthcare providers, individuals with hives can effectively manage their condition and maintain a high quality of life.

Hives (Urticaria): Causes, Treatment and Prevention

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Overview

Signs & Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

What to Expect

When to Seek Help

What Are Hives?

Hives are red, raised bumps on the skin that can be itchy. Hives are also called urticaria. About 1 in 5 people will get hives at some point in their lives.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Hives?

Hives can be found anywhere on the body. They can be small, like mosquito bites, or several inches wide. Even if they look different, hives often have common symptoms.

• People may have one hive or groups of hives that cover large areas of the body.
• Hives can move around on the body. They may start in one place, then move to another place on the body. 
• Hives may go away quickly or come and go for many weeks or months. 
• Skin swelling is common with hives. It may happen on the lips, ears, eyelids, fingers, or toes. This is common and not dangerous. 
• Less commonly, hives can occur as part of a more severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can cause the airway to swell, making it hard to breathe. This is a life-threatening reaction that needs to be treated right away. 

What Causes Hives?

Hives happen when the body releases a chemical called histamine. It can be released because of allergies or other things, like stress, infections, or some illnesses. Whatever is causing histamine to be released is called a trigger.

• Hives not related to allergies are more common. Their triggers are:
  • Viruses or infections, like a cold, strep throat, or a urinary tract infection (UTI).
  • Emotional stress, like anxiety, anger, fear, or sadness.
  • Exercises that make the body warm.
  • Vibrations from using a lawn mower, horseback riding, or mountain biking.
  • Temperatures that are too hot or too cold.
  • Sunlight or tanning beds (sunlamps).
  • Pressure on the skin, like being rubbed too hard or scratched, or by wearing clothes that are too tight.

Hives that are related to allergies are less common. Their triggers are:

• Foods or medicines (anaphylaxis may occur) – Symptoms include nausea, throwing up (vomiting), mouth/throat swelling, and trouble breathing. This can be very dangerous.
  • Some common foods that cause allergies include eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, milk, and shellfish. 
  • Some medicines that cause allergies include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), and naproxen sodium (Aleve®).
• Contact with the skin that can lead to irritation. These are usually not dangerous.
  • Plants, grasses, weeds
  • Acidic foods or sauces
  • Scents or fragrances (soaps, detergents, lotions)
  • Animal dander
  • Latex or other materials

When to Get Emergency Help

Call 911 or take your child to the closest emergency room if they have hives and any symptoms of anaphylaxis:

• Trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking
• Swelling of the mouth or tongue
• Nausea or vomiting

If they have an epinephrine auto-injector, like EpiPen®, Auvi-Q®, or Adrenaclick®, use it right away.

How Are Hives Treated?

Treatment depends on how bad the itching is. Even with treatment, hives can last days to weeks. The goals of treatment are to:

• Control the itching
• Avoid things that may trigger hives

For mild hives:

• Give an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine each day. Some examples are:
  • Loratadine (Claritin®)
  • Fexofenadine (Allegra®)
  • Cetirizine (Zyrtec®)
  • Levocetirizine (Xyzal®)
• Do not use Benadryl® creams. These may cause irritating rashes.
• Cool the skin using an ice pack or a cold bath or shower.
• Distract your child by playing games, singing songs, or reading books.
• Avoid known triggers, like animal dander or fragrance.

For severe hives:

• Give a higher dose of antihistamines or steroids, like prednisone. Oral steroids should not be used a lot. They may make hives worse when you stop taking the medicine.
• See a doctor or health care provider. They may prescribe a medicine, like Xolair® shots (injections), if you have long-term (chronic) hives.

Living With Hives

Living with hives isn’t easy, especially if you don’t know what’s causing them. It may help if you write down events that happened right before the hives appeared. This can help you and your child make a plan to keep the hives from coming back.

Depending on what’s causing your child’s hives, you can keep their hives from getting worse by having them:

• Avoid scratching or rubbing their skin.
• Wash their hands after touching pets or animals.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes. • Wear warm clothes. 
• Wear sunblock and long sleeves and pants in the sun.
• Avoid contact with cold water if they’re sensitive to cold.
• Use mild, unscented soap on their skin and for washing clothes.

When to Call the Doctor

Call the doctor or health care provider if your child’s hives get worse or prescribed medicine isn’t helping.

Hives (Urticaria) (PDF), Spanish (PDF), Somali (PDF)

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How to Know When It’s a Chigger Bite

Sometimes called “berry bugs” or “red bugs,” chiggers populate large sections of the United States — including all of the South, the Great Plains, and the Mid-Atlantic. Though they’re often bright red in color, chiggers are only about the size of a grain of salt — making them almost impossible to spot either in the wild or on a person’s skin.

“Chiggers are a type of immature mite that spend time feeding on small mammals, and also on humans,” says Lee Townsend, PhD, a professor emeritus of entomology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Dr. Townsend says that there are many different species of mites, but only a few types that bite during their larval stage. It’s these that are referred to as chiggers. “Not all mites are chiggers, but all chiggers are mites,” he adds.

Unlike mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting bugs, chiggers don’t attach themselves to mammals in order to suck blood. Instead, chiggers feast on skin cells and tissue, Townsend explains. But much like mosquitoes and ticks, chiggers can induce a nasty skin reaction. That reaction, he says, comes from the chigger’s saliva, which they use to break down and digest the cells and tissues they devour.

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Chigger Bites Look a Lot Like Other Bug Bites, So Here’s How to Correctly ID Them

As with all bug bites, there’s some person-to-person variation when it comes to chigger bites.

“Different people react differently to bites, so it can be really difficult to tell the difference between bites of things like mosquitoes from chiggers,” Townsend says. Especially if you’re bitten by a lone chigger, the red welt that forms may look more or less identical to a mosquito bite.

But there are bite characteristics that can show up that can help differentiate chiggers from other bugs. For one thing, chigger bites tend to take itchiness to a whole new level. “I don’t know of many things as intensely itchy as a chigger bite,” says Michael Merchant, PhD, a professor of entomology at Texas A&M University in Dallas.

Also, chiggers tend to latch onto a person’s skin in groups. You won’t be able to see them without the aid of a magnifying glass. But you may feel some irritation when they first start feeding. And the resulting bites often appear as clusters of red welts — as opposed to a single itchy lump or a red rash. (1) If you have a swath of itchy skin lumps that looks like many mosquito bites or welts, it’s a good bet you’re dealing with chiggers. (2)

Another characteristic of these bites: chiggers like to gather in areas that are hot and sweaty — like the insides of socks, at waistlines, inside armpits, or behind the knees, Dr. Merchant says. “If you see a pattern of bites only where your sock was, that’s probably chiggers,” he adds.

What Can I Do to Treat Chigger Bites and Relieve the Itching?

While itchy and uncomfortable — not to mention unsightly — chigger bites tend to resolve on their own within a week — and often within a few days. (3) “Once they’re done feeding, [chiggers] drop off on their own,” Townsend says. He recommends taking a hot shower and soaping the area thoroughly. (This can remove chiggers before they’ve had the chance to cause welts and irritation, he says.) Applying topical calamine cream can also help reduce the itch, he adds. So can cold compresses, oral antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or cetirizine (Zyrtec), and rubbing alcohol. (4)

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Do you need to see a doctor? In most cases, no. “Chiggers can transmit diseases in some other parts of the world, but not here,” Townsend says of domestic chiggers.

That said, chigger bites can put a person at risk for a secondary infection. That could happen if you scratch the bite (or bites) and break open the skin, allowing in bacteria, Merchant says.

If the swelling or redness around a bite is getting worse several days after it first appeared, or if you notice a fever or other flu-like symptoms, those may be signs of an infection. The same is true if the bite is leaking fluid, has developed a yellow, golden crust, or has become painful, or if you’re experiencing hives, vomiting, or nausea — see a doctor.  (5)

Doctors can prescribe prescription topical steroids or even inject dilute steroids into intensely itchy bites if you don’t experience relief from over-the-counter options.

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Yes, You Can Avoid Getting Chigger Bites and Still Enjoy the Outdoors

Chiggers usually live in shaded or overgrown areas like forests and wild fields, Townsend says. “They need shelter from the sun and they like high humidity, so they tend to like tall grasses and places where there are mice and small mammals around,” he says. “You’re not going to run into many of them out in mowed or landscaped areas.”

For that reason, keeping yards or outdoor areas well-tended and free of overgrowth and brush are effective ways to keep chigger populations to a minimum. Staying on walking paths — as opposed to making your way through tall grass or wilder areas — is another way to avoid picking up chiggers. (6)

If you’re going to be tramping through woods or picking fruit in a field, those are times when you’ll want to take extra precautions to guard yourself against chiggers. Townsend recommends wearing long pants and tucking them into your socks. “Repellents also help,” he says, mentioning common types like DEET, which is also used to repel mosquitoes and ticks. Be sure to use those repellents on your shoes and lower legs — places chiggers tend to latch on.

And again, taking a hot, soapy shower after you’ve been in chigger-infested areas can help remove them before they cause skin irritation, Townsend says.

Chiggers are a nuisance — and their bites can be incredibly itchy. But if you can resist scratching those bites, they don’t cause any long-term issues or health complications.

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Everyone knows that if a mole has changed size or color, you need to urgently run to an oncologist. But it happens that the body gives much less obvious signals that may indicate a malignant skin tumor.

16,000 British people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, and 2,500 of them eventually die, reports the Mirror. The good news is that 80 to 100 percent of cases found in stage 1 or 2 are easily treatable. How not to overlook the tumor, said dermatologist Ross Perry.

1. Unexplained scars

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The doctor named the signs of skin cancer that can be detected at home

The doctor named the signs of skin cancer that can be detected at home

Some symptoms of skin cancer at the initial stage of the disease can be detected independently by examining your body in the mirror, said British doctor Ross Perry in … RIA Novosti, 05/31/2021

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MOSCOW, May 31 – RIA Novosti. Some symptoms of skin cancer at the initial stage of the disease can be detected independently by examining your body in the mirror, said British doctor Ross Perry in a commentary to the Daily Mirror. For example, according to a doctor, small red bumps on the skin that are easily mistaken for mosquito bites may actually be signs of skin cancer. “The patient may decide that he was bitten by insects, but in this case, the marks on the skin will disappear within a couple of weeks and will gradually decrease every day,” the doctor explained. If he found non-healing wounds that cause discomfort, he advised to consult a specialist. Readers of the newspaper were also warned about other signs of skin cancer that can be detected on their own. Among them:

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MOSCOW, May 31 – RIA Novosti . Some symptoms of skin cancer at the initial stage of the disease can be detected on your own by looking at your body in the mirror, British doctor Ross Perry told in a commentary on Daily Mirror .

For example, according to a doctor, small red bumps on the skin that are easily mistaken for mosquito bites may actually be signs of skin cancer.

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“The patient may decide that he was bitten by insects, but in this case, the marks on the skin will disappear within a couple of weeks and will gradually decrease every day,” the doctor explained.