For acute (duration less
than 6 weeks) urticaria, the main possible precipitating agents are:
·
Recent illness
·
Medication use
·
IV radiocontrast media
·
Travel
·
Foods
·
New perfumes, hair dyes,
detergents, lotions, creams, or clothes
·
Exposure to new pets
(dander), dust, mold, chemicals, or plants
·
Contact with nickel,
rubber, latex, industrial chemicals, and nail polish
·
Sun or cold exposure
·
Exercise
·
Alcohol ingestion
minutes to months - or even years, in case it becomes chronic, but it is
usually a self-limited condition.
Urticaria has the appearance of large bug bites that are
characterized by the following:
They
can appear on any area of the body; their shape may change and jump from one area to another, disappear and reappear over short periods of time.
The
bumps - red or skin-colored “wheals” with clear edges - usually appear suddenly
and go away just as quickly.
Pressing
the center of a red hive makes it turn white - a process called “blanching.”
Even with treatment, this
rash may still persist for a few days before it resolves.