What Do Welts Mean, Medically?
During this process, blood vessels pool together under the skin to cause welts.
Location and Appearance
Welts can appear anywhere on the body.
Sometimes hives can connect and spread across large areas of the body.
Types and How Long They Last
Some hives last up to a week or longer.
Acute hives last up to six weeks, while chronic hives last longer than six weeks.
They are usually labeled hives or urticaria.
Hives may include angioedema, which is swelling of the skin.
Angioedema can appear with or without hives, which are usually itchy.
Welts can appear anywhere on the body and usually disappear within a day.
However, some can last longer.
The good news is that they tend to disappear on their own, usually within a day or week.
The good news is that they are likely not dangerous and often disappear on their own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some hives can be due to scratching or pressure on the skin.
At times this is known asdermatographism, or skin writing.
Dermatographism is swelling and redness that occurs right after the skin is pressed or scratched.
Welts usually go away within a day or week without treatment.
However, hives can be treated with antihistamines like Benadryl and anti-itch creams.
Chronic hives might require prescription antihistamines or steroid shots (in worse cases) from a doctor.
If welts appear suddenly and all over the body or around the throat, they require immediate medical attention.
In that case, a person is likely to receive a shot of adrenaline or epinephrine.
Some chronic hives could be a symptom of an autoimmune disorder.
KidsHealth.Hives (urticaria).
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Urticaria.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hives (urticaria) and angioedema overview.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Hives that wont go away: the basics of CIU.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 ways to get relief from chronic hives.
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Urticaria, physical.
