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What Are Hives On Face?

Hives on face are raised, flat-topped bumps that are smooth to the touch, typically red in color and commonly referred to as facial hives. They can occur anywhere on your face and neck, including the lips, eyes and ears. They are often incredibly itchy and are usually accompanied by a burning sensation (similar to a sunburn) when touched.

 

Facial hives can also be accompanied by facial swelling that is brought on by the body building up fluids in the tissues of your face. This facial swelling is medically referred to as angioedema. It is not uncommon for this swelling to spread to your neck and upper arms. Once you get hives on face, you can expect to be revisited by them on a regular basis without proper treatment. Hives on face are usually not a one time event, but a sign of what is to come in the future. They are also often passed on from generation to generation.

 

Best Facial Hives Treatment

 

What Causes Hives On Face?

Hives on face are caused by your body perceiving something your face has come in contact with as being dangerous and thus releases histamine into your face to try to fight off the attack. In essence, you have an allergic reaction to something that touched your face and the hives / welts that appear on your face are your body's way of trying to fight off the allergen.

 

Most of the time, the cause of hives on face is never identified with 100% accuracy. However, there are some common triggers for angioedema and facial hives:

• Excessive sun exposure - even with sunscreen (see sun hives)

• Toiletries (soaps, shampoos, conditioners, etc.)

• Drug allergies (antibiotics, aspirin, sulfa, penicillin, ACE inhibitors like blood pressure medications, etc.)

• Overexposure to cold (see cold hives), heat (see heat hives) or water

• Food allergies (shellfish, eggs, nuts, milk, berries, fish, etc.)

• Certain fabrics (blankets, sheets, etc.)

• Insect stings and bites

• Pollen or hay fever

• Infections or illnesses like Lupus and Leukemia

Some not so common causes include obesity, facial surgery (head, nose or jaw), injury to your face, blood transfusion, cellulitis, sinusitis, tooth abscess, etc.

 

Some people believe that facial hives goes hand in hand with menopause. This is simply not true. However, there are many hormonal changes that take place during the many stages of menopause, and this alone can cause hives. But this does not mean that all women who go through menopause will experience hives on face.

 

What Are The Symptoms of Facial Hives?

The most common hives on face symptoms include:

• Small round raised swollen areas, rings or large patches of red or skin colored welts.
  
  

• Intense itchiness accompanied by burning sensation when touched.
  
  

• Face can feel hot to the touch and can turn bright red - like a sunburn.
  
  

• Often accompanied by swollen face, mouth, ears and eyes as the body rushes fluids to the area (angioedema).
  
  

• Hives can extend from the face down the neck and onto the shoulders.
  
  

• When inflammation goes down, the skin can be scaly from being swollen and the skin can be sensitive.

 

Are The Hives On My Face Dangerous?

In my experience, just over half of the people we've heard from with hives on their face also have angioedema, which causes uncomfortable swelling beneath the skin. When this causes throat swelling, some people can have breathing difficulties, which can result in death if not treated quickly by your local emergency room. If you find that you are having problems breathing, seek immediate medical help! If you also have a fever, this may be a sign of an infection and you should contact your primary care physician to discuss treatment options.

 

How Do I Get Rid Of My Facial Hives?

For temporary relief of hives on your face, wash your face with cold water 3-4 times. This should sooth the itch and burning sensation that comes with facial hives. Applying a cold compresses should also provide temporary relief by reducing the swelling in your face. Try to keep your head above your heart as much as possible as well. When sleeping, try to keep your head raised by using an extra pillow or two. This will also help reduce the swelling associated with the hives on your face. Be sure to see our How To Get Rid Of Hives Fast page as well.

 

For permanent relief, you will need to take a hives treatment that is proven to be effective at eliminating facial hives outbreaks. Benedryl is NOT a cure for facial hives. It only marginally helps treat the symptoms and not the hives themselves. This is why antihistamines are a poor substitute for a real hives cure.