​The wheals (areas of swelling on the skin) caused by urticaria may be white, pink or red. They can be of different shapes and sizes, and are itchy. Although the rash may persist for many weeks or months, individual lesions typically disappear within a day, and often last only a few hours. They occasionally leave bruising especially in children. The deeper swellings of angioedema occur most frequently on the eyelids, lips and sometimes in the mouth, but they may occur anywhere. They are not usually itchy, and tend to last a few days. The skin may feel tight and painful.

​See your doctor if:

​Various classes and doses of antihistamines are usually first line treatment to relief symptoms of urticaria. Avoidance of triggers/aggravating factors also help. Additional medications such as H2-antagonist, Montelukast, oral steroids may be used in more severe cases. A new effective injectable biologic medication (omalizumab) is also available. Discuss with your doctor what treatment would suit you best.

• Dr Nisha Suyien Chandran
  
• Dr Huma Jaffar
  
• Dr Sue-Ann Ho
  
• Dr Chris Tan Lixian