Urticaria, commonly known as hives, is red, raised, itchy skin rash resulted from the body's reaction to certain allergens, or for unknown reasons. Hives usually cause itching, but may also burn or sting.
When an allergic reaction occurs, the body releases a protein called histamine. This is why the doctors often prescribe anti-histamine medicines to calm the body's reaction to the allergen.
Hives are very common. In fact, 20% of US population may have it. They may go away on their own (acute urticaria, lasts a few weeks), or the other kind of hives may last much longer (chronic urticaria). If you have a serious case, you might need medicine including anti-histamine drugs or a shot. In rare cases, hives can cause a dangerous swelling in your airways, making it hard to breathe - this is a medical emergency, and you need to treat it right away.
So what are the common causes of hives? It can come from many different factors:
- food,
- food coloring
- preservatives
- insect stings or bites
- certain chemicals
- certain medication (morphine, codeine, aspirin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil). These medicines cause the body to release histamine, therefore should be avoided among hives sufferers.
Because there are so many common causes, it can be hard to identify the exact trigger of hives. The acute urticaria often goes away on its own and it is not contagious. There are physical stimuli that trigger hives as well. Common factors are sunlight, hot or cold water, heat, exercise, even pressure may occasionally trigger hives.
Regardless of the causes, hives can be quite uncomfortable, the persistent itchy rash may cover a large part of your body. After constant scratching, the skin can get raw and painful. Although steroid creams and antihistamine cream offer relief, there are safety concern if these creams are used on large area repeatedly.
LEMYKA developed a hives treatment cream (LEMYKA Calming Cream) that quickly relieves intense itching from hives. Plant actives in this natural cream such as aloe vera, calendula, and sea kelp extract possess anti-inflammatory properties and help to reduce red rashes and bumps on skin. This pure plant based and clean cream can be applied to affected area as frequently as you need.