What it is
Hives / urticaria are raised, itchy welts on the skin appearing from allergic triggers, stress, autoimmune processes, or idiopathic causes.
Research-supported
Hives
Raised, itchy, often transient welts on the skin caused by mast cell activation, which may be acute (allergic) or chronic (autoimmune or idiopathic).
CategorySkin
Reviewed by Ciara Magee · Functional Health
26 March 2026
At a glance
Hives at a glance
Commonly experienced as
- People describe intensely itchy welts that appear anywhere on the body, typically within minutes to hours of a trigger. Individual lesions migrate or resolve and reappear elsewhere. The itch is often described as overwhelming — difficult to resist scratching despite knowing it worsens the reaction. Many develop a pattern of detective work identifying triggers. The unpredictability of chronic urticaria creates significant anxiety, particularly around social events and travel.
