Hives and the Heat

My hives are weird. My triggers are weird. For me, heat is a big one. Sunlight and heat? Recipe for disaster for me. Though, with living in Florida, it’s such a delicate balance to manage the heat. How do you manage the sunlight? Lots of skill!

My biggest trigger

I learned pretty early on that heat was my biggest and most difficult trigger to manage. I don’t mean just when it’s hot outside. Hot showers and baths can also cause a flare-up — which is so frustrating, because I do love hot bubble baths!

I learned on a trip to Disney. I started breaking out and couldn’t figure it out. The more I was outside in the heat, the worse it got. My underarms, behind my knees, and my thighs were the absolute WORST areas. The more I sweat, the more it spreads. To say it impacted my Disney trip is an understatement.

Hives from sunlight and heat

Heat alone is rough. Add in the sunlight, and oof. Being in Florida I'm already struggling with the sunlight.

Now, summertime? Forget it. How do I manage them both? With a few things I've learned along the way:

• Sensitive skin sun lotion
• Swim/sun guard shirts (this is really important for me due to being fair skinned as well as the hives)
• Battery operated fans
• Cooling towels
• Beach umbrellas
• Walking to a shaded area if needed
• Cooling myself down in the water

Learning and adapting

Some of this seems pretty standard, right? Funnily enough, it took me some time to figure some of them out. You’d think by being a Floridian, I’d have it figured out! LOL. I wish I did. It would have saved me from some flare-ups.

However, that's part of life — learning and adapting. Learning which fabrics were easier to use during the summer was also important. Even beach towels. I had to spend a little extra on nicer towels so it was softer on my already inflamed skin during the hot times of the year.

Letting my skin breathe

One thing I keep forgetting: to NOT wear jeggings during spring and summer. I’m so bad at remembering this. It’s already in the mid 80s here, and I've been wearing jeggings and then questioning myself. Like, how could I not remember how the heat plus jeans is just going to aggravate my skin? Last week I was so uncomfortable and itchy. This week I'm wearing shorts and capris!

I’m going to make sure I let my skin breathe and not cause overheating, which would cause a flare-up. Living with hives is frustrating. Add in a rare form or trigger, and it's even more difficult.

I’ve had to work hard to learn what works and doesn’t work given heat is a trigger for me. It’s a balance and it’s ever-changing.

Are your hives impacted by sunlight and heat? Share in the comments below!