Hives in Austin, TX

Hives are patches or welts on the surface of the skin that can be small or large in size. While hives can range from the size of a pin-point to a larger section of skin that can span across a large area of the body, they normally fade within 12 hours. These irritating welts are also known as urticaria, the medical term for hives. Dr. Synder's team of board-certified dermatologists in Austin, TX can help diagnose, treat, and prevent urticaria outbreaks for the 15% of the population that will experience hives at least once in their life. Once a person has hives, they can follow certain protocols to help keep them at bay and/or treat them quickly should they have an outbreak.  

Hives are caused by a number of factors. A single episode of hives is usually due to a virus or infection. These single episodes usually dissipate anywhere from a couple days to a few weeks. In other cases, hives can be caused by an allergic reaction, from things such as medications, insect bites/stings, nuts, certain fabrics, and much more. Stress and anxiety can also create a flare-up in some patients. While these can be easily treated, another form of hives, known as physical Urticaria is a different story. Some of the causes of physical urticarias include, but are not limited too: exercise, pressure, cold, heat, sunlight, and dermatographism. Our team of dermatologists will conduct a thorough skin analysis to understand what is causing the outbreak of hives so that treatment can be given and prevention protocols provided so additional outbreaks do not occur.

If a patient is concerned with hives, there are multiple steps that our team of dermatologists will take to correctly diagnose them, and find out what is causing them. Diagnosing urticaria is normally not an issue, the problem stems from finding the cause of the hives. To do this one of our dermatologists will:

• Ask questions about your daily routine
• Review your previous health history 
• Perform a blood work analysis
• Perform a skin biopsy

Coming to see our board certified dermatologists at Snyder Dermatology can help prevent your urticaria in the future. Understanding what causes the breakouts and irritations are the keys to prevention. For some people it is hard to figure out what is causing your hives, this is when it is helpful to get diagnoses from one of our dermatologists to see what is best for you.

Treatment for hives is usually in the form of a non-drowsy antihistamine, but also include other medications that prevent irritation and swelling. These medications are taken for both chronic urticarias and brief episodes, by preventing hives from forming. CIU, or chronic idiopathic urticaria, is a type of hives that lasts for months and possibly years. This more serious form of hives is treated with both antihistamines and omalizumab, an injectable humanized antibody, that helps reduce sensitivity to allergens and irritants.

If you are experiencing symptoms of urticaria, or already have an issue with outbreaks and controlling your hives, it is a good idea to find out what is causing them. If you are eager to find the cause of your hives and to get the treatment you need to find relieve, call our Austin, TX dermatology office and schedule an appointment so that you can get your hives under control.