Hives are welts on the skin that often itch or sting and are characterized by slightly raised pink or red bumps and plaques. When it comes to hives, New Jersey’s Skin & Laser Center of NJ explains that the common skin condition impacts about 20 percent of people and is usually caused by allergies, though there are other potential causes, including infections and illness. The welts can appear on any part of the skin and vary in size from as small as a pen tip to as large as a dinner plate. Hives occur within minutes to hours of exposure to a trigger and will generally disappear within 24 hours or less. New bumps can continue to form for days or even weeks and may appear to “move around.”
For most patients, hives are not a serious medical concern, but the discomfort they cause is very real. Fortunately for patients of all ages, hives are also very treatable. We have extensive experience helping patients achieve relief from the painful, itchy reaction. Your provider will help identify the cause and likely prescribe medication to mitigate the symptoms.
In late 2016 she founded the Skin & Laser Center of NJ, LLC in Mahwah, NJ where she continues to treat her medical and cosmetic patients, and further pursues her interest in laser medicine. Dr. Lieb’s mission is to provide high quality dermatologic care using up-to-date medical information and cutting edge technology in an efficiently run practice. Dr. Lieb is board certified in dermatology, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the New Jersey Dermatologic Society. Dr. Lieb is a Staff Dermatologist at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
The first step to treating hives is identifying the cause. By avoiding the trigger, patients can avoid future outbreaks—similar to contact dermatitis. The most common cause of hives is an allergic reaction. Some common allergic triggers include:
Hives can be triggered by causes other than allergic reactions. These other causes include:
It is very difficult or even impossible to avoid some of these triggers, such as extreme temperatures, sunlight, or catching colds; and exercise is an important part of healthy living. Identifying triggers is the first step and can provide information when it comes for developing a plan.
When a patient has hives, we can often make the diagnosis by simply looking at the skin, though finding the cause can be a challenge—especially if the welts have been occurring for more than six weeks. Identifying the cause is essential to avoid future outbreaks. We will review your health history in detail, ask questions, and perform a physical exam.
Some of the medications that may be prescribed include:
In addition to prescribing medication, we may perform blood tests, allergy tests, or a routine small skin biopsy. Patients experiencing mouth or lip swelling or difficulty breathing should call 9-1-1. You may need a shot of epinephrine or other urgent treatments.
Skin & Laser Center of NJ in Ramsey provides a wide range of medical, surgical, and cosmetic services for patients in and around New Jersey. Patients can get diagnosis and treatment for acne, skin cancer (with Mohs surgery), chronic conditions (like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema), moles, melasma, vitiligo, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, scabies, contact dermatitis, and more. Cosmetic options include wrinkle-relaxing BOTOX® and Dysport®, dermal fillers like Juvederm® and Restylane®, Kybella® for reducing a double chin, chemical peels, Hydrafacial MD, microneedling, laser hair removal, laser acne treatments, laser scar treatments, laser tattoo removal, CoolSculpting®, laser vein treatments, sclerotherapy, and more.
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