Skin Rash Hives and How to Treat Them

What Are Hives?

Hives are an outbreak on the skin or red bumps that appear usually suddenly. They are typically caused by an allergic reaction, or their cause may be unknown. This type of skin rash may be itchy, sting or even burn the afflicted person and they can appear anywhere on the body, but usually show up on or around the face.

Also known as uticaria, hives may range in size from as small as the tip of an eraser or be larger, and they may also join and form a larger swelling known as plaques. Some people find that they get hives rarely while other get hives regularly. When you get hives regularly, they are known as chronic hives and they may appear for six weeks to months or even years.

When to See a Doctor

If you think you may have hives, consult with a doctor. The doctor can test to see if you are allergic to something by performing a test. In this test, the doctor will attempt to find the cause of the allergic reaction, which might be to a certain food, to medicine, a certain material, animal dander, or pollen, insect venom or another factor.There are different types of tests the doctor can use to determine the type of allergy you have, including:

• Scratch or prick test (percutaneous)

• Intradermal test (intracutaneous)

• Patch test (epicutaneous)

Int he scratch/prick test, the doctor will scratch or prick a small amount of skin and place the purified allergen into the skin.This is the most common type of allergy test done. With the intradermal test, the doctor is going to inject the purified allergen into your arm, which is typically done to determine an allergy to penicillin or an insect venom. With the last test, the scratch test, the doctor will place a patch on your skin that has the allergen pre-applied to a patch. With this type of test, the doctor will be seeing if you are allergic to latex or a certain kind of medicine.

Treating Hives

A doctor will decide upon a treatment for hives, depending upon your allergies. Some treatments can be bought over the counter, while others may be prescribed. Over-the-counter medicines include Cetirizine, Loratadine, Chlorpheniramine and Diphenhydramine. As for prescriptions, the doctor might treat you with Desloratadine, Fexofenadine, Hydroxyzine and Levocetirizine. Be sure to read the directions carefully, as some of these medications can cause drowsiness.

Besides any medications that you may take, you can help yourself feel better, and help the rash of hives fade with a cool bath. There are oatmeal baths on the market that make dealing with hives less irritating. Also, apply cold compresses to the area of the hives and wear lose-fitting clothes, made preferably of natural fibers like cotton. Avoid wools, however, which may scratch the skin and make matters worse. Most importantly, try to avoid the cause of the hives, if you can narrow it down.

Other preventative measures include taking care of your immune system. You may need to add vitamins to your daily diet and apply aloe vera gel to the affected areas even before there is a reaction. If you plan to be in an area where an allergen is likely, carry an antihistamine along with you.

In Case of an Emergency

Some allergic reactions such as hives can become life-threatening. If you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, seek medical attention as soon as possible. A severe case of skin rash hives, known as angioedema, causes bigger welts and may include the swelling of the throat. It can also feature hives near the hands, feet and genitals and be extremely uncomfortable, with a feeling of hotheadedness. If you seek treatment and it doesn't seem to be helping, see the doctor again.