If you're among those who have experienced hives, one thing is for sure - you never want to have them again! You're in good company; hives are a pretty common issue and of course anyone who has had them would like to avoid repeating the experience. Knowing some of the causes of hives can help you to avoid them and prevent further outbreaks.

How Can I Recognize Hives On My Own Skin?

Hives are itchy bumps on your skin which tend to show up in clusters and are usually reddish in appearance. These bumps are also known as wheals - but whatever you choose to call them, you probably just wish that they were gone. Wheals look much like mosquito or other insect bites, but they will usually show up en masse, unlike a mosquito bite.

While wheals are usually pretty small; about the same size as a mosquito bite, they can be larger. It is possible for wheals to be as big as four inches - they will look like a red ring with a white center in these cases, very similar to a case of ringworm.

However, wheals tend to be much smaller than this - they can even be so small that a large cluster can look like a single larger wheal. In extreme cases, hives can be a large (sometimes covering your whole arm or leg) red, itchy patch. However, hives may manifest differently in different people.

Hives may last for varying periods - but the good news is that it is extremely rare for them to last for longer than a day. Usually, hives will last for a period of minutes to a few hours. However, there are people who have chronic cases of hives. If you have a case of hives which lasts longer than a day, go to see your doctor as soon as you can.

What Are The Possible Causes Of Hives?

Hives are typically your body's reaction to being exposed to a certain substance. If you can figure out what causes hives in you, then you can try to avoid these substances and prevent having future outbreaks.

Causes of hives include chemicals, bacteria and fungi which your skin may be exposed to. A scrape can often allow your skin to be more sensitive to the substance in question, allowing an outbreak to occur. Hives are extremely itchy, so it is very difficult to avoid scratching the affected areas - which only makes the hives worse.

Hives are most commonly caused by allergies. Hives are often an allergic reaction to chemicals, pet dander and most commonly of all, to certain foods. See your doctor to determine if food allergies are a cause of hives for you.

Another cause of hives is stress. Stress causes an imbalance in your body, which can lead to all sorts of physical reactions; even hives!