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 Dr. 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.
