What Do Allergy Hives Look Like?

If you have ever reacted to a portion of food, medicine, or other substance you have probably wondered what allergy hives look like. An allergy is any condition created by exposure to chemicals, metals, insects, or organisms. The allergic reaction creates swellings on the skin that can be painful. Once your doctor diagnoses you with allergies she will tell you how to avoid them to prevent future occurrences of the blisters.

People with allergies and hypersensitivities to certain substances can be at risk of developing hives. You may be wondering what allergy hives look like?

What Do Allergy Hives Look Like?

Allergic hives are red, itchy bumps that appear on your skin when you’re exposed to an allergen (a substance that triggers allergic reactions). In most cases, they’re round or oval and measure between 0.5 inches to 3 inches across. They usually show up within minutes or hours after exposure to an allergen, but sometimes they can take days or weeks to develop after exposure.

Some people have a single hive when exposed to an allergen; others get multiple ones at once in different places on their bodies like arms and legs or face only (called “multifocal” hives). People with food allergies will typically get them on their hands or arms when eating their trigger food and then again later in areas where they’ve eaten that food before.”

But no matter where you get your hives from here’s what they look like:

• They’re flat red or pink bumps (or sometimes blue) that appear in clusters or rows on the skin.

• They can cover large areas of your body or just small patches on your arms or legs.

• They usually go away within a few hours after you’ve stopped whatever caused your reaction.

It’s best to see a doctor if you have allergy hives, especially if they come and go quickly and aren’t accompanied by other symptoms such as a runny nose or sneezing. You may also want to see a doctor if you have had hives for more than six weeks because this could indicate an underlying condition.

Allergy hives can be treated with antihistamines, corticosteroids, or immunotherapy (allergy shots).