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Red rash
Rashes
Itchy
There is a sore on the side
Redness of the skin
Red skin rash all over the body
Feeling stressed
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
An itchy, allergic rash with red bumps, also known as "hives". The causes are broad, ranging from foods and medications to viral infections and bee stings. In most cases, the rash disappears within 24 hours, however medical attention is needed if there is facial swelling or breathlessness.
Treatment usually involves antihistamines to stop the allergic reaction. Severe cases (e.g. swollen lips and eyes or breathlessness) may require emergency medical care. It is important to identify and avoid the cause of the allergy in the future.
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Yukiko Ueda, MD (Dermatology)
Dr. Ueda graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine and trained at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She is currently a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, and holds several posts in the dermatology departments at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Komagome Hospital, University of Tokyo, and the Medical Center of Japan Red Cross Society.
Content updated on Dec 8, 2024
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Q.
How Can I Tell the Difference between Hives and Eczema by Looking at Pictures?
A.
Hives and eczema are two distinct skin conditions that can appear similar but have different characteristics. Hives are typically raised blotches of red skin that are very itchy and occur all over the body. Eczema, on the other hand, is generally scaly red patches of skin at stereotypical places on the body.
References:
Schettini N, Corazza M, Schenetti C, Pacetti L, Borghi A. Urticaria: A Narrative Overview of Differential Diagnosis. Biomedicines. 2023 Apr 4;11(4):1096. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11041096. PMID: 37189714; PMCID: PMC10136346.
Sohn A, Frankel A, Patel RV, Goldenberg G. Eczema. Mt Sinai J Med. 2011 Sep-Oct;78(5):730-9. doi: 10.1002/msj.20289. PMID: 21913202.
Frazier W, Bhardwaj N. Atopic Dermatitis: Diagnosis and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2020 May 15;101(10):590-598. PMID: 32412211.
Q.
If Hives Are Suspected, Should I See a Primary Care Doctor or a Specialist?
A.
If hives are suspected, it is generally advisable to start by seeing a primary care doctor. They can evaluate your symptoms, provide initial treatment, and determine if a referral to a specialist, such as an allergist or dermatologist, is necessary based on the severity and persistence of the condition.
References:
Kayiran MA, Akdeniz N. Diagnosis and treatment of urticaria in primary care. North Clin Istanb. 2019 Feb 14;6(1):93-99. doi: 10.14744/nci.2018.75010. PMID: 31180381; PMCID: PMC6526977.
Ryan D, Tanno LK, Angier E, Clark E, Price D, Zuberbier T, Maurer M. Clinical review: The suggested management pathway for urticaria in primary care. Clin Transl Allergy. 2022 Oct 5;12(10):e12195. doi: 10.1002/clt2.12195. PMID: 36225262; PMCID: PMC9533216.
Kolkhir P, Giménez-Arnau AM, Kulthanan K, Peter J, Metz M, Maurer M. Urticaria. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2022 Sep 15;8(1):61. doi: 10.1038/s41572-022-00389-z. PMID: 36109590.
Q.
Is It Possible to Get an Eyelid Rash Caused by Hives Around the Eyes?
A.
Yes, it is possible to develop an eyelid rash caused by hives (urticaria) around the eyes. Hives can lead to localized swelling and redness, which may manifest as a rash on the eyelids. Understanding the causes and characteristics of this condition is important for effective management.
References:
Hine AM, Waldman RA, Grzybowski A, Grant-Kels JM. Allergic disorders of the eyelid. Clin Dermatol. 2023 Jul-Aug;41(4):476-480. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2023.08.002. Epub 2023 Sep 15. PMID: 37574152.
Guin JD. Eyelid dermatitis: experience in 203 cases. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002 Nov;47(5):755-65. doi: 10.1067/mjd.2002.122736. PMID: 12399770.
Moreira J, Gonçalves R, Coelho P, Maio T. Eyelid Dermatitis Caused by Allergic Contact to Acrylates in Artificial Nails. Dermatol Reports. 2017 May 29;9(1):7198. doi: 10.4081/dr.2017.7198. PMID: 28603598; PMCID: PMC5452630.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1Saini SS, Kaplan AP. Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: The Devil's Itch. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2018 Jul-Aug;6(4):1097-1106. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.04.013. PMID: 30033911; PMCID: PMC6061968.
https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(18)30290-3/fulltextRadonjic-Hoesli S, Hofmeier KS, Micaletto S, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Bircher A, Simon D. Urticaria and Angioedema: an Update on Classification and Pathogenesis. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2018 Feb;54(1):88-101. doi: 10.1007/s12016-017-8628-1. PMID: 28748365.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12016-017-8628-1Maurer M, Fluhr JW, Khan DA. How to Approach Chronic Inducible Urticaria. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2018 Jul-Aug;6(4):1119-1130. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.03.007. PMID: 30033913.
https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(18)30265-4/fulltextAntia C, Baquerizo K, Korman A, Bernstein JA, Alikhan A. Urticaria: A comprehensive review: Epidemiology, diagnosis, and work-up. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Oct;79(4):599-614. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2018.01.020. PMID: 30241623.
https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(18)30139-7/fulltextSaini S, Shams M, Bernstein JA, Maurer M. Urticaria and Angioedema Across the Ages. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2020 Jun;8(6):1866-1874. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.03.030. Epub 2020 Apr 13. PMID: 32298850.
https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(20)30329-9/fulltext