Hives: Signs and symptoms

Go to urgent care or your nearest emergency room. Swelling in any one of these areas can cause problems breathing or swallowing, which can come up quickly.

The rash of raised spots and patches may feel smooth. They can range in size from a pinhead to larger than a dinner plate and appear in different shapes.

If you have brown or Black skin, hives are often the same color as your skin, or slightly darker or lighter than your natural skin tone. People who have a light or medium skin tone usually see red or pink hives. If you have a lot of swelling with a hive, you may see a hive that looks white in color.

Hives can itch, sometimes intensely. Rather than itch, some people say the welts burn or sting. Because the skin is inflamed, hives often feel warm to the touch.

If you have hives, pressing down on one will make it turn pale or white, just as this woman’s finger lightens when pressed against glass. This color change is called blanching.

Hives tend to appear suddenly and go away on their own. An individual hive will usually disappear within 24 hours, but new hives can appear. Most cases of hives go away within a few weeks, but some last longer.

As new hives appear, they may develop on different parts of your skin. If they occur in the same place every time, they’re called fixed hives. When hives are fixed, this usually means that something physical is triggering them like medication, stress, or sunlight.

Sometimes, the hives run together, as shown here. The large, raised patches are called plaques.

Some people develop hives over a large area of their skin. As hives clear on lighter skin tones, they rarely leave a mark. If you have a darker skin tone, you may see dark spots called hyperpigmentation where hives once were.

Deep swelling rarely itches, but it can feel painful. If you have deep swelling on your face, in your mouth, or inside your throat, get immediate medical care.