Much of the same causes of hives on other parts of the body are responsible for causing hives on the back. Hives occur most frequently on the trunk of the body (chest, abdomen, and back) and sometimes spread to the extremities (legs and arms) and rarely the head. If however hives on the back occur with other symptoms or signs of a severe allergic reaction you should consult with your doctor as an allergy or disease such as celiac or another autoimmune reaction could be to blame. Signs of severe allergic reaction are wheezing, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the throat.
Raised Red Welts
Raised red welts are the hallmark indicator of hives versus other forms of skin rash. Welts vary in size and can be red or skin toned. Generally forming in circular shapes, hives welts can come on suddenly and just as quickly disappear before a new bout erupts. It is common to not know the exact cause of hives. Generally speaking however, isolated hives (those that only appear on a particular area of the body) are due to contact with a triggering substance known as contact dermatitis. Because the area is so large hives on the back may be due to a contact allergy or completely unrelated. By paying attention to the patterns in your life you can start to deduce the possible causes.
Hives on the Back – Bath Products
Shampoo, conditioner, and other hair products that come into contact with the skin on your back, especially if you have long hair, are a good place to start in your search for skin irritants. Switching to a gentle, allergen-free formula such as baby shampoo may be able to alleviate the hives. When selecting styling products, soaps, body washes and laundry detergents, fragrance-free or natural products can also help as they usually contain different ingredients and gentler formulas. By switching these for allergy-free formulas you may be able to determine if you are allergic to a common ingredient found in soaps. According to Discovery Health (www.health.discovery.com) the five most common allergens found in soap are: sodium lauryl sulfate (a detergent responsible for creating suds), fragrance, coconut diethanolamide (another detergent that creates suds), paraben (an ester, this ingredient can go by many other names such as parahydroxybenzoic), and balsam of Peru (known as myroxylon, it is used for its fragrance as well as a fixative). Taking warm rather than hot showers can help with hives on the back, helping to prevent excessive drying of the skin. Following your shower a light, allergen-free, paraben-free and fragrance-free lotion can help soothe skin and prevent excess drying and rashes.
