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Medical Dermatology Concern

Urticaria and Skin Allergies

If your skin keeps coming up in itchy welts that appear, fade and then return somewhere else, this is the right page. Venus Aesthetics runs medical dermatology clinics alongside its aesthetic services, and urticaria is one of the conditions our dermatologists see most across our 8 branches in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. The first job is a diagnosis, because acute urticaria, chronic spontaneous urticaria and allergic skin eruptions are handled differently. Dermatology consultations run by appointment only and are charged at Rs 3,500.

Dermatology consultation Rs 3,500By appointment only. Aesthetic treatment consultations remain free.
0311 111 7546
What it is

Understanding Urticaria and Skin Allergies

Urticaria is the medical name for hives. The skin releases histamine, raised itchy welts appear, and each one usually fades within a day before returning elsewhere. Sometimes the swelling sits deeper and puffs the eyelids, lips or hands, which is called angioedema. This category covers three related problems. Acute urticaria is a short episode lasting under six weeks, often following an infection, a medicine, a food or an insect bite. Chronic spontaneous urticaria means wheals or swelling on most days for six weeks or longer, usually with no outside trigger to find. Allergic skin eruptions are rashes set off by direct contact with a substance, or by a medicine taken internally.

Signs we treat

Come in if you recognise any of these

  • Raised itchy welts that appear and fade within a day, then come up somewhere else
  • Puffy swelling of the eyelids, lips or hands, with or without the itch
  • Itching that gets worse at night and keeps you awake
  • Wheals that rise where clothing presses: waistband, bra strap, dupatta line, watch strap
  • A rash that began after a new medicine, an infection, a hair dye, mehndi or a new cream
  • Hives on most days for six weeks or longer, despite over the counter tablets
  • Repeated steroid injections or tablets just to keep the rash quiet
How we treat it

Your plan, step by step

1

The history does most of the work

Before anything is prescribed, the doctor asks how long a single welt lasts, how long the episodes have been running, and what was new in your life when it started: a painkiller, an antibiotic, an infection, a hair dye, a cream, a new washing powder. Urticaria is diagnosed mostly on this story, not on an expensive panel of tests. Consultations are by appointment, Rs 3,500.

2

Examination, including the deeper swelling

The doctor examines your skin, checks whether the wheals leave marks or stains behind, looks for angioedema around the eyes, lips and hands, and tests for dermatographism by gently stroking the skin. Photographs taken on a bad day are genuinely useful, so keep them on your phone. This step also separates out the other conditions that are mistaken for hives.

3

Tests only when they change the plan

A small, targeted set of blood tests may be ordered where the history points to an underlying trigger such as an infection or a thyroid problem. Where contact allergy is suspected, patch testing can identify the specific chemical. Broad commercial food panels are usually avoided, because they throw up positives that do not match real life and lead to needless food restriction.

4

Getting the symptoms properly controlled

Treatment usually starts with a modern non drowsy antihistamine taken regularly rather than only on bad days. If the itch is still not controlled, the dose can be raised in steps under medical supervision, and further options exist for cases that stay stubborn. Your doctor will also plan how you get through a bad flare without falling back on repeated steroid courses.

5

Triggers and daily life

Heat, sweat and hot water make most urticaria worse, which matters through a Lahore or Karachi summer. Loose cotton, cooler showers and avoiding tight waistbands and straps all help. Common aggravators such as certain painkillers, alcohol and broken sleep are reviewed. If a contact allergen is identified, you are given the other names it hides under on product labels.

6

Review, then step down

Urticaria is followed over time rather than treated once. At review the doctor checks how many days a week you are clear and how well you are sleeping, then reduces medication slowly once the skin stays quiet. If control is still not achieved, the plan is escalated instead of simply repeated. To book an appointment, call 0311 111 7546.

FAQs

Urticaria and Skin Allergies, answered honestly

How do I know if my rash is urticaria and not something else?
Urticaria shows as raised itchy welts that move around. Mark one welt with a pen. If that individual spot fades within about twenty four hours and leaves no bruise or brown stain behind, it fits urticaria. Spots that stay fixed for days, blister, peel or leave marks point to a different diagnosis, which is why the doctor examines you rather than treating from a photograph.
What is the difference between acute urticaria and chronic spontaneous urticaria?
Time is the main divider. Acute urticaria lasts under six weeks and often follows an infection, a medicine, a food or an insect bite. Chronic spontaneous urticaria means wheals or swelling on most days for six weeks or longer, usually with no outside trigger to be found. The rash can look identical in both. The plan is different, so the history matters more than the appearance.
Can chronic urticaria be cured?
The honest answer is that it is controlled rather than cured. The better news is that it is not usually permanent. Chronic urticaria tends to settle on its own timeline, which can be months or considerably longer, and no doctor can promise you a date. Treatment keeps you comfortable, sleeping and working while that happens, then medication is reduced slowly once you stay clear.
Do I need allergy testing, and is food causing my hives?
Most chronic urticaria is not a food allergy, and broad allergy panels sold commercially often produce misleading positives that lead to unnecessary food avoidance. Testing is worth doing when the story points somewhere specific, for example swelling within minutes of one particular food, or a rash after a known medicine. The doctor decides which tests are useful after taking your history.
Are steroid injections or steroid tablets a good treatment for hives?
A steroid injection can clear a flare quickly, which is why they are handed out so freely here. The problem is what follows. The rash usually returns, and repeated courses carry real risks to blood sugar, blood pressure, bone and skin. Steroids have a place for a short, severe flare under supervision. They are not a treatment plan for a condition that runs for months.
Is it safe to take antihistamines every day, including in pregnancy?
Modern non drowsy antihistamines are designed for daily use and are generally well tolerated over long periods. For urticaria the dose is sometimes raised above the packet instruction, and that should only happen under a doctor's guidance. Several options have a long record of use in pregnancy, but the choice and the dose need to be made by your doctor, with your obstetrician kept informed.
Can mehndi, hair dye, jewellery or cosmetics cause an allergic skin eruption?
Yes. Black mehndi and hair dye share a chemical called paraphenylenediamine, a frequent cause of severe reactions on the scalp, hairline and hands. Artificial jewellery releasing nickel, bleach creams, skin lightening creams, fragrance and some washing powders are other common culprits locally. When contact allergy is suspected, patch testing can identify the specific chemical so that you can avoid it properly.
When are hives or swelling an emergency?
Hives alone are miserable but not dangerous. Go to an emergency department immediately if there is swelling of the tongue, lips or throat, a hoarse or tight voice, difficulty breathing or swallowing, chest tightness, vomiting with collapse, or dizziness and fainting. These suggest anaphylaxis and need adrenaline, not an antihistamine. Do not wait for a clinic appointment, and do not drive yourself.

Worried about your skin?

Bring it to a dermatologist. Diagnosis first, honest plan second, treatment only when it genuinely helps.

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