What causes hives on the face is not always apparent to doctors. This is just one similarity between facial hives and those on other parts of the body. On those occasions when it is possible to determine what causes hives on the face, the triggers are likely to vary greatly from situation to situation. They may include physical stimuli such as excessive cold or heat, exposure to too much sun and exposure to water.
Allergies to foods like fish, shellfish, berries, eggs, milk and peanuts can also trigger facial hives. Various drug allergies, seasonal allergies, allergies to certain fabrics, insect stings and bites and cosmetic products are notorious too. In some people, illnesses like lupus, cellulitis, sinusitis, some forms of cancer and morbid obesity are associated with facial hives. In other people, trauma to the face, for instance surgery or injury, is the trigger. The hormonal changes characteristic to menopause and pregnancy have also been associated with facial hives.
Determining What Causes Hives on the Face
Because the face is the most readily visible part of the body, facial hives are likely to garner a lot of attention. Not only do the tell-tale swollen areas, wheals and reddish skin cause intense itching and the sensation of burning, they also cause self-consciousness on the part of the person suffering from them. He or she is likely to be anxious to determine what causes hives on the face. Consulting an allergy specialist would be a good way to try to do this. The specialist would run numerous tests and, by eliminating a number of possibilities, would hopefully arrive at the “culprit.”
Knowing what causes hives on the face is a good thing for the sufferer of hives because it empowers him or her to avoid the substance or minimize exposure to it. Eliminating the item from one’s routine tends to ease the symptoms. However, it is not always possible for an individual to avoid the factors that trigger hives. This is the case for those whose hives are triggered by physical stimuli like heat, cold or pressure. As they cannot control their physical environment at all times, they have to be able to adjust to different situations. Hence, many of them use antihistamines to treat their symptoms. Yet others use corticosteroids. It is not unheard of for them to have an epinephrine autoinjector handy just in case they get stung by a bee or accidentally ingest peanuts and react adversely.
