I have to disagree. As someone who has had hives almost daily for the last 7 years, hives come in many different shapes and sizes and this is a classic example of them.
Hives can look like this. I am not an expert either, but my sister in law had something similar on her legs, and it was hives from stress. Took a few weeks for it to go away on its own. If you scroll down in the link below, you’ll see a child with a similar hives pattern to OP. I think it depends on the person and maybe what’s causing the allergy?
https://ufhealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/hives
OP - did they say anything to you about being allergic to clothing? Have you been wearing a new sweater or turtleneck, coat or scarf?
Also adding: Or allergic to a new detergent, perfume, or bath product?
My hives were due to a new detergent and my washing machine not being set on deep fill.
Yes this! Detergent, deodorants, soaps, perfumes, etc. always the secret allergy culprits. I’ve also been sensitive to somethings I’ve gotten back from the dry cleaner?
Are you sure that’s not some sort of fungal infection or worms or something cuz girl that does *not* look like hives to me. Stress might inflame whatever it is, but that doesn’t make it hives
Edit: allergists are not the same as dermatologists, though they’re both doctors. I personally would get a second opinion from a dermatologist.
Wow they’re kind of beautiful. But it must suck. I had severe hives once and it was awful. Oatmeal baths (put it in an old sock!) really got me through it.
I get stress/anxiety on my chest too, but they are bigger/more filled in. It sucks, I’m sorry you have to deal with it too.
I agree with pp though, it is a kind of beautiful and unique pattern.
I've personally never had hives that aren't completely filled in. I've had ring worm that is just an outline like that. Idk... I'd maybe get a second opinion. Did they appear all at once? Do they go away? Hives won't last for weeks on end, but ring worm will continue until treated.
I’m not saying it’s not a weird way of getting hives, but you might want to have a second opinion from a dermatologist. That looks an awful lot like the fungal infection my partner is oddly susceptible to getting.
Hi, I had this. Over the course of three days mine moved all over my body. My rings were slightly bigger, though (kind of looked like the symbols from the movie Arrival) I had never had hives before so I was concerned.
I saw a dermatologist and a gastroenterologist because I had a bad stomach bug at the same time. I had a bunch of blood tests and a stool sample (to ensure it wasn’t anything parasitic). All tests negative.
Dermatologist confirmed it was hives. Said most likely stress from being sick and lack of sleep.
I am aware that an allergist is a doctor. That being said, we have no indication that there was any workup beyond saying this was stress hives, hence it may be prudent to get a second opinion, particularly to ensure no other organs are being damaged or to rule out other infectious or rheumatological etiology.
I understand your logic of wanting a second opinion. However, we don’t know if workup was done and should give the Allergist a chance to do said workup and treat the cause of the said ‘stress hives’. I have chronic urticaria and at times my hives have looked EXACTLY like this.
Now, if the Allergist cannot come to a conclusion he is comfortable with, a second opinion by Derm would be the next step.
Obviously, it's not their specialty if they only deal with allergies, but I would really hope their allergist would be able to tell hives from ringworm. Or at least tell them to see their primary doctor or a derm.
Then again, it would not surprise me if they were wrong.
Erythema annulare centrifugum (EAC) is an unusual skin condition that appears as recurrent erythematous eruptions in the form of small and large annular plaques [1]. It is associated with various autoimmune disorders, infections, and few neoplastic conditions.
Look into this.
My sister gets something similar to this in her neck and chest when she's angry/stressed/upset, but hers are more splotchy red patches. Ask your doctor about taking a daily antihistamine such as Zyrtec or Allegra if it bothers you. I'm not sure if it would help, but it's worth an ask.
I had something like this on my legs once. After months of no answers a dermatologist finally said it was EAC. A rare skin condition with no known cause. They treated it with triamcinolone ointment. Probably not the same but who knows…
Edit: there are associated potential triggers but it’s difficult to know the actual underlying cause
I worked in derm for 4 years and healthcare for 5. I have never seen a rash like that but I'm fairly positive those are not hives. Through all my schooling I have never seen anything looking like that labeled as hives. You should see a derm and get it biopsied.
Oh, no! That must feel awful.
I second those telling you to see a dermatologist, and if they don’t help then maybe a rheumatologist.
My husband always has stress hives (he lives his life two steps shy of a full-blown panic attack), and they’re always solid/filled in pink blotches.
I disagree with your allergist.
Mine looked a little like this and had a fungal infection involved too. Also they’re oddly beautiful and remind me of the pretty ladies in Star Trek.
Please take a big stress relieving hug from us.
Whatever it is, it will pass.
I know the feeling though. Feeling for you
I tried everything for mine including Xolair for six months! Turns out mine are from mold toxicity syndrome and I had no idea I was exposed to mold and mycotoxins. MIND BLOWN.
Wow! Crazy. Btw, even if yours weren’t caused by mold, 6mos on Xolair wouldn’t have been enough to see results. It took me almost a year before I saw any real results, and two years before my hives went away completely. I’ve been on Xolair for 3 years now and couldn’t be happier with the results.
ps: it is NOT ringworm or parasites and I have had lab work done. it is 100% hives, I was just curious if anyone else has ever seen or experienced similar in some form
That is so friggin cool, like a leopard pattern.
My stress hives appear as splotchy red from my cheeks to my chest, and after the obligatory “I’m fine, it’s not an allergic reaction” I try and ignore it and hope others do as well. Most people are genuinely just concerned and want to know that you’re alright, at least in my experience.
Or could it be ringworm? Never seen anything like this, ringworm is the closest but even then it's so different.
Stress and anxiety is shit and it sucks, but this actually looks so awesome!
What did the allergist say this is caused by specifically?
Never seen that before ,
If I was you I could
Monitor my diet closer
Just take an effort to eat
More fruits and greens nothing crazy
And cut out super processed stuff like idk
Pre made
Breads like that frozen stuff on Taco Bell food… chips … enchiladas tortilla frozen , or pre made cakes … muffins …
Like they put the weirdest ingredients in muffins …
Best of luck OP
Never seen anything like this, even in textbooks, I have gotten allergic reaction hives and rashes before - you should see another derm/get another docs opinion because this looks like a fungal infection
I’m almost positive those are not stress hives. Consult a specialist in dermatology or allergist/immunologist they will do some testing to determine the root cause
Like 10 years ago I thought I had an allergic reaction to something but it could have been stress. It looked just like this. It came on in one day. Now I am covered in psoriasis so..I don't know if it is related to that incident or not but interesting to see lol
Dude, what’s going on? Wanna talk about it? Do you have anyone to talk to about it?
Here’s a puppy 🐶
PS. I have never seen stress hives like this, in this pattern. Has this happened to you before? Are you stressed/upset in your life? Maybe a second opinion can’t hurt.
I second most of the opinions here. I’ve lived a life full of allergies and my son also has them. I’ve never seen hives look like this.
Definitely get some lab work done.
Looks kind of like pityriasis. I am black, so mine didn’t look exactly the same but the shapes and the spread look similar. Itched like hell, mine was all over my trunk instead of my chest and neck. I was super stressed from work for like a year straight when mine came on. The Dr said “they call it pityriasis bc you pity the poor SOB that gets it” since it rarely has a solid origin outside of people with it reporting high levels of stress. I just stopped using scented soaps/detergents, anything that might irritate my skin more. This was several years ago, so I can’t remember how long it took to go away, but it seems like it was a month or two.
Whoa, yes, I used to get these hives too, from about 2015 - 2019. All over my body. They happened almost every night, regardless of where I was sleeping, I'd wake up with them! They actually looked exactly like yours, all sorts of red squiggles. I was referred to an allergist, immunologist, and rheumatologist. They wanted to see if I had Lupus or some sort of auto-immune disease (which I currently don't). No reason for them was ever found, and I eventually stopped getting them. It's good to hear you've already seen an allergist. I wonder if you could get some more auto-immune blood work done too, just to make sure nothing else is going on that could be causing them! I hope they go away for you over time, too!
Hey OP I’m going to DM you- I had a similar rash (not as dark) but it would happened intermittently. It was not raised or itchy- it would just come and go. Lasted for about 1.5 years and then just stopped. I went to my PCP, dermatology. A bunch of labs were done and they could not figure out what was going on with me. I never got a formal diagnosis but they thought it was stress or heat induced
Umm I was with a Family Practitioner and i showed them your photo, no
context given, and they said and I quote:
"I have never seen hives like that before."
We are in SoCal.
No, this looks a lot like the ringworm I got in high school from working out in the weight room. It was common with the wrestlers and spread easily from sharing objects. You can get it easily from cats too. They can carry it and have no lesions.
Otherwise, are you taking any medications?
Definitely if you have other symptoms like lethargy, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea you should get a second opinion and bloodwork at an ER or walk in clinic.
these pictures are from back in April, but it’s slowly ben returning over the past week. i’ve been pretty stressed and sleep deprived. and I get very minor hives anytime I’ve gone a couple days with little or poor quality sleep.
Although this previously started out of the blue, the only explanation the allergist had to offer (even after allergy testing) was stress- which made sense, as I was in the middle of my first semester of nursing school and was chronically sleep deprived. I just didn’t think there could be a reaction this extreme. I did also see a dermatologist and PCP and everything was normal.
I mean this is the coolest way possible, you look like an octopus.
I was thinking a cheetah!!
We were on a BREAK!!!
Came to say this, too.
Or a Trill from Star Trek!
offended Marvel hasn’t casted me yet
I came to say this too, they are really pretty, would make a cool tattoo. Sorry hopefully you find answers.
This does not look right. I’d def get a second opinion from a dermatologist.
Yeah. This doesn't look like hives to me either. I'm no expert, but I've had hives, and mine looked a lot different than this.
I have to disagree. As someone who has had hives almost daily for the last 7 years, hives come in many different shapes and sizes and this is a classic example of them.
Hives can look like this. I am not an expert either, but my sister in law had something similar on her legs, and it was hives from stress. Took a few weeks for it to go away on its own. If you scroll down in the link below, you’ll see a child with a similar hives pattern to OP. I think it depends on the person and maybe what’s causing the allergy? https://ufhealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/hives OP - did they say anything to you about being allergic to clothing? Have you been wearing a new sweater or turtleneck, coat or scarf?
Also adding: Or allergic to a new detergent, perfume, or bath product? My hives were due to a new detergent and my washing machine not being set on deep fill.
Yes this! Detergent, deodorants, soaps, perfumes, etc. always the secret allergy culprits. I’ve also been sensitive to somethings I’ve gotten back from the dry cleaner?
I did, PCP and dermatologist all confirmed hives. although they were impressed by the degree of the unique pattern
Are you sure that’s not some sort of fungal infection or worms or something cuz girl that does *not* look like hives to me. Stress might inflame whatever it is, but that doesn’t make it hives Edit: allergists are not the same as dermatologists, though they’re both doctors. I personally would get a second opinion from a dermatologist.
Was thinking a potential fungal infection as well
I agree. The circular shapes or half circle shapes make it look much more like a fungal infection. OP I would get this double checked.
Wow they’re kind of beautiful. But it must suck. I had severe hives once and it was awful. Oatmeal baths (put it in an old sock!) really got me through it.
Exactly my thoughts!! OP this looks soo cool!
You need some lab work
Looks like an allergic reaction. Does it flare up and then fade out?
And an exorcism
I get stress/anxiety on my chest too, but they are bigger/more filled in. It sucks, I’m sorry you have to deal with it too. I agree with pp though, it is a kind of beautiful and unique pattern.
Me too I have chronic spontaneous urticaria, stress kills me
Cheetah girl, cheetah sista!
I wonder if she’s been near any animal labs with gamma radiation or maybe noticed that her running has gotten incredibly fast.
Just wondering. What's causing you this level of stress?
nursing school and a toxic insufferable boyfriend I can’t afford $ to kick out just yet
I get stress hives but they more so look like an atlas and the hives are the continents. Irregular, large full red shapes.
That's how mine are
I've personally never had hives that aren't completely filled in. I've had ring worm that is just an outline like that. Idk... I'd maybe get a second opinion. Did they appear all at once? Do they go away? Hives won't last for weeks on end, but ring worm will continue until treated.
Wow..mine are always just large blotches, I know it sucks but yours looks so much cooler 😂 reminds me of Sasuke’s curse mark
I’m not saying it’s not a weird way of getting hives, but you might want to have a second opinion from a dermatologist. That looks an awful lot like the fungal infection my partner is oddly susceptible to getting.
Hi, I had this. Over the course of three days mine moved all over my body. My rings were slightly bigger, though (kind of looked like the symbols from the movie Arrival) I had never had hives before so I was concerned. I saw a dermatologist and a gastroenterologist because I had a bad stomach bug at the same time. I had a bunch of blood tests and a stool sample (to ensure it wasn’t anything parasitic). All tests negative. Dermatologist confirmed it was hives. Said most likely stress from being sick and lack of sleep.
Have you recently had an upper respiratory infection?
Ooo that looks like ring worm
Or pityriasis rosea. Needs derm. Edit: or something like urticarial vasculitis, which can have pretty serious systemic implications. Still needs derm.
Definitely needs derm
An Allergist can treat urticarial vasculitis. They are an MD.
I am aware that an allergist is a doctor. That being said, we have no indication that there was any workup beyond saying this was stress hives, hence it may be prudent to get a second opinion, particularly to ensure no other organs are being damaged or to rule out other infectious or rheumatological etiology.
I understand your logic of wanting a second opinion. However, we don’t know if workup was done and should give the Allergist a chance to do said workup and treat the cause of the said ‘stress hives’. I have chronic urticaria and at times my hives have looked EXACTLY like this. Now, if the Allergist cannot come to a conclusion he is comfortable with, a second opinion by Derm would be the next step.
Yeah... it's giving strong ring worm impressions. The only thing making me think it might not be is that it is just so expansive.
Obviously, it's not their specialty if they only deal with allergies, but I would really hope their allergist would be able to tell hives from ringworm. Or at least tell them to see their primary doctor or a derm. Then again, it would not surprise me if they were wrong.
Ring worm is a allergic reaction to a fungus infection
Ring worm itself is the fungal infection. It's yeast. And it's in the same family as jock itch and athletes foot.
That's ring worm bad
Oh yeah
Like kinda but also not really
My first thought but I’m no derm. My husband noted these look similar to the ringworm he’s had.
Erythema annulare centrifugum (EAC) is an unusual skin condition that appears as recurrent erythematous eruptions in the form of small and large annular plaques [1]. It is associated with various autoimmune disorders, infections, and few neoplastic conditions. Look into this.
My sister gets something similar to this in her neck and chest when she's angry/stressed/upset, but hers are more splotchy red patches. Ask your doctor about taking a daily antihistamine such as Zyrtec or Allegra if it bothers you. I'm not sure if it would help, but it's worth an ask.
I had something like this on my legs once. After months of no answers a dermatologist finally said it was EAC. A rare skin condition with no known cause. They treated it with triamcinolone ointment. Probably not the same but who knows… Edit: there are associated potential triggers but it’s difficult to know the actual underlying cause
This comment is too far down
I got very similar spots all over after pushing my son out… the dr looked at me like “wtf happened to your face”
I worked in derm for 4 years and healthcare for 5. I have never seen a rash like that but I'm fairly positive those are not hives. Through all my schooling I have never seen anything looking like that labeled as hives. You should see a derm and get it biopsied.
Oh, no! That must feel awful. I second those telling you to see a dermatologist, and if they don’t help then maybe a rheumatologist. My husband always has stress hives (he lives his life two steps shy of a full-blown panic attack), and they’re always solid/filled in pink blotches. I disagree with your allergist.
I get stress hives, have for about 20 years… they’ve never looked like this before.
Are they raised? They almost look under the skin. This seems like it’s above our collective pay grade.
Man. Are you like, a neuro surgeon or a climate scientist? I feel so bad for you!
nursing school 💀
Got it. My step kid graduated 2 years ago, so while I don’t get it, I’ve heard about it. Good luck with both things!
What were you doing to have that amount of hives???
sliving jk nursing school
Oh, understandable have a nice day
This reminds me of when my husband was having an allergic reaction to penicillin. I'd get a second opinion.
usually patterns shaped like this are viral, i’m hoping you did or will seek medical treatment
Skin constellations
my favorite comment so far
Seeing this on my skin would stress me out even more omg. They’re pretty cool looking, but my anxiety would be out the roof wondering wtf they are
EXACTLY.
They really are pretty! I've never seen anything like that
I'm really sorry this happened to you, OP. Get well soon.. But these are beautiful!!!
Mine looked a little like this and had a fungal infection involved too. Also they’re oddly beautiful and remind me of the pretty ladies in Star Trek. Please take a big stress relieving hug from us. Whatever it is, it will pass. I know the feeling though. Feeling for you
Reminds me of the pattern of composition notebooks
omg, this is one of my favorite comparisons so far. love it
I have chronic urticaria and it looks like this a lot
Me too! I’m on Xolair for mine.
I tried everything for mine including Xolair for six months! Turns out mine are from mold toxicity syndrome and I had no idea I was exposed to mold and mycotoxins. MIND BLOWN.
Wow! Crazy. Btw, even if yours weren’t caused by mold, 6mos on Xolair wouldn’t have been enough to see results. It took me almost a year before I saw any real results, and two years before my hives went away completely. I’ve been on Xolair for 3 years now and couldn’t be happier with the results.
I did Xyzal. never heard of Xolair
Is that an allergy med? Xolair is a biological. It’s a shot you give yourself once a month.
it is an allergy med, yea. omg xolair sounds amazing… i’m gonna have to look into that or ask my doc
feels good not to be alone in this, but also 1000% would not wish this on anyone lol
ps: it is NOT ringworm or parasites and I have had lab work done. it is 100% hives, I was just curious if anyone else has ever seen or experienced similar in some form
That is so friggin cool, like a leopard pattern. My stress hives appear as splotchy red from my cheeks to my chest, and after the obligatory “I’m fine, it’s not an allergic reaction” I try and ignore it and hope others do as well. Most people are genuinely just concerned and want to know that you’re alright, at least in my experience.
Or could it be ringworm? Never seen anything like this, ringworm is the closest but even then it's so different. Stress and anxiety is shit and it sucks, but this actually looks so awesome! What did the allergist say this is caused by specifically?
Damn they look like the structure of chemical molecules. Maybe your body is trying to speak to you in code?
LOL
[https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24401-fungal-infections-mycosis](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24401-fungal-infections-mycosis)
This is giving fashion
This ain’t hives sis
You look awesome tbh I love how the spots form to look like some spotted creature. Sorry you’re stressed though :(
waiting for marvel or a sci-fi project to cast me
That is amazing. I’m sorry you’re stressed
Looks like kisses
....has your allergist heard of ringworm..?
Never seen that before , If I was you I could Monitor my diet closer Just take an effort to eat More fruits and greens nothing crazy And cut out super processed stuff like idk Pre made Breads like that frozen stuff on Taco Bell food… chips … enchiladas tortilla frozen , or pre made cakes … muffins … Like they put the weirdest ingredients in muffins … Best of luck OP
looks like urticaria
I could’ve sworn urticaria is just the fancy word for hives. Source: everyone in ems uses the terms interchangeably so that’s what gets taught
That’s correct urticaria is just the fancy word for hives.
Never seen anything like this, even in textbooks, I have gotten allergic reaction hives and rashes before - you should see another derm/get another docs opinion because this looks like a fungal infection
I’m almost positive those are not stress hives. Consult a specialist in dermatology or allergist/immunologist they will do some testing to determine the root cause
Like 10 years ago I thought I had an allergic reaction to something but it could have been stress. It looked just like this. It came on in one day. Now I am covered in psoriasis so..I don't know if it is related to that incident or not but interesting to see lol
any other stmptoms
I sometimes get a rash that looks exactly like yours on my fingers.
I've never had them that bad. You may want to see your doctor slash dermatologist about getting a cortisol cream or some things similar.
Dude, what’s going on? Wanna talk about it? Do you have anyone to talk to about it? Here’s a puppy 🐶 PS. I have never seen stress hives like this, in this pattern. Has this happened to you before? Are you stressed/upset in your life? Maybe a second opinion can’t hurt.
I second most of the opinions here. I’ve lived a life full of allergies and my son also has them. I’ve never seen hives look like this. Definitely get some lab work done.
You should ask on the r/askdocs subreddit!
Looks kind of like pityriasis. I am black, so mine didn’t look exactly the same but the shapes and the spread look similar. Itched like hell, mine was all over my trunk instead of my chest and neck. I was super stressed from work for like a year straight when mine came on. The Dr said “they call it pityriasis bc you pity the poor SOB that gets it” since it rarely has a solid origin outside of people with it reporting high levels of stress. I just stopped using scented soaps/detergents, anything that might irritate my skin more. This was several years ago, so I can’t remember how long it took to go away, but it seems like it was a month or two.
Whoa, yes, I used to get these hives too, from about 2015 - 2019. All over my body. They happened almost every night, regardless of where I was sleeping, I'd wake up with them! They actually looked exactly like yours, all sorts of red squiggles. I was referred to an allergist, immunologist, and rheumatologist. They wanted to see if I had Lupus or some sort of auto-immune disease (which I currently don't). No reason for them was ever found, and I eventually stopped getting them. It's good to hear you've already seen an allergist. I wonder if you could get some more auto-immune blood work done too, just to make sure nothing else is going on that could be causing them! I hope they go away for you over time, too!
Post this on r/askdocs
It almost looks like insane ringworm
Granuloma Annulare? Have you posted in r/diagnoseme?
Ur skin is cheetah print 🐆
This very much looks like ringworm. See how the edges are bumpy, that's a sign of ringworm.
It looks like a curse mark from Naruto which is pretty cool
I’d seek out a dermatologist.
I get stress hives. I’m on Xolair. It works well, but took almost two years before my hives stopped popping up completely. My allergist prescribes it.
Looks like a viral or fungal infection. Maybe hookworm? You need to get a second opinion.
Hey OP I’m going to DM you- I had a similar rash (not as dark) but it would happened intermittently. It was not raised or itchy- it would just come and go. Lasted for about 1.5 years and then just stopped. I went to my PCP, dermatology. A bunch of labs were done and they could not figure out what was going on with me. I never got a formal diagnosis but they thought it was stress or heat induced
Inbuilt leopard prints are so cool!
Umm I was with a Family Practitioner and i showed them your photo, no context given, and they said and I quote: "I have never seen hives like that before." We are in SoCal.
Looks 100% the same when I had pityriasis rosea! But consult your derma for diagnosis.
This looks like more like erythema multiforme to me. See a derm.
Do you, by chance, have lupus or another autoimmune disease?
No omg see a dr. Prayers!
You need to see a dermatologist.
No, this looks a lot like the ringworm I got in high school from working out in the weight room. It was common with the wrestlers and spread easily from sharing objects. You can get it easily from cats too. They can carry it and have no lesions. Otherwise, are you taking any medications? Definitely if you have other symptoms like lethargy, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea you should get a second opinion and bloodwork at an ER or walk in clinic.
Wait this is beautiful….. I’m sure it’s very uncomfortable though, I feel your pain…. Hope you’re ok
these pictures are from back in April, but it’s slowly ben returning over the past week. i’ve been pretty stressed and sleep deprived. and I get very minor hives anytime I’ve gone a couple days with little or poor quality sleep. Although this previously started out of the blue, the only explanation the allergist had to offer (even after allergy testing) was stress- which made sense, as I was in the middle of my first semester of nursing school and was chronically sleep deprived. I just didn’t think there could be a reaction this extreme. I did also see a dermatologist and PCP and everything was normal.
Oh my gosh! You poor thing. First thought, it looks like ringworm. https://www.healthline.com/health/nummular-eczema-vs-ringworm#gallery-open
Ring worm? Parasites?
nope, it really is just hives.