About 20% of people around the world suffer from an inflammatory skin condition known as hives, or urticaria, at some point in their lives. Hives are a type of raised rash that can be incredibly itchy and temporarily disfiguring.
You want to enjoy summer like the rest of your friends and family, but hives dampen your enthusiasm. The itching drives you crazy, and you seem to feel tired all of the time due to your overactive immune system response.
Why do you get hives, and why are they worse in the summer months? What can you do about them so you can enjoy the season?
Our expert allergist Catherine Fuller, MD, diagnoses and treats urticaria in West Los Angeles, California. Many different substances can trigger hives — including common foods — which is why she recommends allergy testing and may suggest immunotherapy.
Hives can worsen during the summer. Here’s what causes summer hives and what to do about them.
The intensity of the summer sun can trigger hives. In fact, a subgroup of hives is called solar urticaria. This condition is considered to be an acquired type of photosensitivity.
True solar urticaria — which causes breakouts just minutes after sun exposure — is rare. Only about 0.5% of hive sufferers have this subtype. Not only does sun-exposed skin immediately break out if you have solar urticaria, so can skin that’s covered by loose or white clothing.
However, even if you don’t have solar urticaria, the sun may still be involved in your hives. You can protect yourself by avoiding the sun when it’s highest in the sky — about 10 am to 4 pm — and using broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more. You might also invest in clothing and bathing suits with SPF in the fabric.
When your body overheats, the raised temperature can trigger a hives outbreak. In addition, sweat itself may irritate your skin and cause an outbreak.
Usually sweat-induced hives disappear on their own after an hour or so, as you cool down. You can try to control sweat- and heat-induced outbreaks by avoiding workouts or rigorous activities in the sun.
You might also carry cooling towels, wear a cooling hat, and wear loose-fitting or wicking clothing that helps your sweat evaporate rather than linger on your skin. And remember to stay hydrated.
You know heat can trigger hives. In rare instances, so can air or water that’s too cold. If you notice that air conditioning or cold pools make you break out, adjust the AC and limit your swimming to heated pools that keep the temperature cool, but not cold.
Summertime also brings out rash-inducing plants, such as poison ivy, as well as biting and stinging insects. While just about anyone develops an itchy skin bump after a mosquito bite, you may find that any type of bug bite or sting triggers your hives.
Use bug spray or avoid buggy areas to minimize your risk of getting stung or bitten. Wear long socks or pants when hiking through the woods to avoid contacting poison ivy, oak, or sumac.
If summer induces hives, find out why and get a customized treatment plan. Dr. Fuller may test you for food allergies, too, because these can contribute to your hives. She may recommend immunotherapy to tone down your body’s reaction to summer’s challenges.
As always, if you experience respiratory or cardiac symptoms along with your hives, get to the nearest emergency room. You may have a life-threatening response to allergens called anaphylaxis, which requires immediate treatment.
Does summertime bring on your hives? Contact Catherine Fuller, MD, today for hives treatment by calling 310-828-7978 or requesting an appointment online.
