- Journal. Keep it natural. Cotton is your new BFF.
Journaling your day to day can help discover possible triggers. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or take up a lot of time. Just a simple list of how your day started (stressful vs calm or cold vs warm), what you ate, the type of material you wore & surroundings are a great place to start.
Natural & affordable products are not always easy to find, but stick to them if possible. Keeping my skin hydrated has been a big help (especially with itching). Baby products can be helpful, as they tend to be fragrance free & have less ingredients. I’ve tried to stick with non petroleum products that have natural oils or even offer oatmeal to help relieve itchiness and provide a protective skin barrier. When in a pinch, Eucerin lotion can be found at most grocery or drug stores. It’s specially designed for eczema and sensitive skin relief. Whole Foods has a very affordable & non petroleum skin protectant for under $6.00 (pictured) that can be used for almost anything… calming rashes, burns, bites, cuts, etc.
Cotton outfits may not always be the cutest, but are best for preventing unwanted hives. Restrictive clothing or scratchy fabrics should be avoided when possible. I’ve learned dressing in layers is beneficial for my biggest trigger – the cold! It didn’t take me long to realize cold temperatures were a big issue. If I would walk into a cold classroom at school, I’d immediately feel a burning or itching sensation. During the summer if I would jump into a pool, when I got out, I knew I would have random clusters of hives almost immediately. Avoiding exposure to drastic temperature changes has been very helpful to me.
Hope for Hives 