Chronic Hives Care: Knowing When and How to Soothe the Skin

Chronic hives, known medically as urticaria, are a skin reaction that causes red or white itchy welts. These vary in size and can appear and fade repeatedly.

Chronic hives last at least six weeks, or recur over months or years. Much of their treatment involves finding ways to reduce symptoms and find relief, and while medications can be of some assistance, basic lifestyle changes are often a big part of successful hives management. Here are several areas you can look at to help with the treatment of chronic hives.

Keeping Moisture In

In some cases, new hives can result from people scratching their skin. A common cause of itchiness is dryness, which means that finding ways to keep moisture in the skin is important. Here are some basic tips:

Use mild soap that’s fragrance-free—many soaps can contribute heavily to dryness
Avoid hot water
Limit baths and showers to 10 minutes
Moisturize directly after bathing
Use a humidifier

Soothing Skin

During hive breakouts, cool compression is a great tactic to help shrink blood vessels and ease swelling. Most creams won’t have a huge effect, as hives come from a reaction inside the body, but certain anti-itch products like 1-percent menthol in aqueous cream can help with relief in some cases.

Watching Triggers

Many hive outbreaks are caused by triggers in our everyday lives. Keeping an eye out for these can help reduce outbreaks. Here are some common triggers:

• Alcohol: Alcohol may aggravate hives and may not mix well with medications.
Aspirin and NSAIDs: Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen can trigger or cause hives, and you should look to acetaminophen if you require an over-the-counter pain reliever.
• Heat: Try to work or sleep in a cool room, and avoid activities that can increase your temperature. Look for ways to cool affected areas, including a cool shower, fan, cooling cloth or soothing lotion.
• Tight clothing: Clothes rubbing against hives or putting pressure on them can aggravate them. Look for loose-fitting, lightweight clothes, and stay away from wool and other itchy fabrics.

Diary

Keeping a diary of breakouts can help. Include information on what you were doing and eating before a breakout took place—this can help identify your triggers and avoid them in the future.

Know When Help is Needed

In certain cases, hives can be a sign of an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If any of the following signs appear during a hives outbreak, seek immediate medical attention: