Skinby Skin libraryRashes and redness

Hives

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In short

Hives are red and sometimes itchy bumps on your skin.

What it is1

The main symptom of hives is an itchy rash.
NHS website
The rash can: be raised bumps or patches in many shapes and sizes; appear anywhere on the body; be on 1 area or spread across the body; feel itchy, sting or burn; look pink or red when affecting someone with white skin; the color of the rash can be harder to see on brown and black skin.
NHS website
Hives are very common.
MedlinePlus
You get hives when something causes high levels of histamine and other chemicals to be released in your skin.
NHS website
Triggers can include: eating certain foods; contact with certain plants, animals, chemicals and latex; cold, such as cold water or wind; hot, sweaty skin from exercise, emotional stress or eating spicy food; a reaction to a medicine, insect bite or sting; scratching or pressing on your skin, such as wearing itchy or tight clothing; an infection; a problem with your immune system; water or sunlight, but this is rare.
NHS website

A pharmacist can give you advice about antihistamine treatment to help a hives rash.
NHS website
Try to find out what triggers hives for you, so you can avoid those triggers, if possible. This may help prevent an episode of hives.
NHS website

In rare cases, hives can cause dangerous swelling in the airways, making it hard to breathe. That is a medical emergency.
MedlinePlus
Call 911 if your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen; you are breathing very fast or struggling to breathe; your throat feels tight or you are struggling to swallow; your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale; you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy; or someone faints and cannot be woken up. These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction.
NHS website

See a health care provider if hives do not improve after 2 days, the rash is spreading, hives keep coming back, you also have a high temperature and feel unwell, or you also have swelling under your skin (this might be angioedema).
NHS website

These pages describe what the sources say. They cannot say what is going on with your skin.

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