How do doctors tell the difference between eczema and hives? (photo)

Doctor's Answer

Thanks for the question. Eczema and hives and both common skin conditions that can be very itchy.

Hives, also known urticaria, appears like mosquito bite-like wheals on the skin. They can be small or large and they can be shaped like a map.

They usually last for minutes to hours before settling without scars or marks. It can appear again on another part of the body.

Eczema is due to inflammation of the skin. The skin is often red, and can be oozy and weepy in acute eczema or even thick and raised in chronic eczema. The background skin is often dry. Eczema is more persistent than hives and usually can persist for days to weeks or longer.

So if the rash lasts for a minutes to hours before it settles, this is more likely to be hives.

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