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Step 1
Recognize hives anywhere on the body. They are raised, red welts, also called "wheals" and may vary in size and shape. They are usually pale in the center and red around the edges. View photos of hives at DermNetNZ.org (see Resources below).
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Step 2
Resist the temptation to scratch. Hives are notoriously itchy, but scratching can lead to infection.
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Step 3
Be aware that hives may come on quickly, without warning, in reaction to something eaten or touched, an insect bite, stress, sunburn or illness.
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Step 4
Know that acute hives may disappear in minutes or last for up to 6 weeks. The average duration is a few days. Chronic hives last longer than 6 weeks, sometimes for months or years.
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Step 5
Know that wheals will appear and disappear throughout the course of the episode. No one wheal should last longer than 24 hours.
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Step 6
Recognize that hives appear individually, but may join together to form very large welts.
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Step 7
Be on the lookout for a condition that sometimes occurs simultaneously with hives, called angioedema, where there is deep swelling around the eyes and lips. Swelling can also occur inside the throat, or on the hands, feet and genitalia. There is no itching, but the area may burn. Like hives, angioedema is generally harmless and will disappear on its own or with an antihistamine. Read more about angioedema at CNN.com (see Resources below).
