Urticaria pronounced ur-tuh-keh-ree-uh is another term for hives (wheals). The term comes from Latin origin with “urere,” meaning to burn and “urtica,” meaning nettle. More modern interpretation comes from the European “stinging nettle” Urtica Dioica. Three million Americans are affected with urticaria each year.

Classified as a rash, urticaria presents as itchy, raised, red, or skin-colored welts on the surface of the skin. A form of urticaria-angioedema differs in several ways. Edema is present under the surface of the skin and is marked by deep swelling, usually occurring on the face, throat, feet, and hands. Generally, the swelling dissipates in less than a day.

urticaria can present as tiny bumps not much larger than a pinhead. They can be several inches wide. They often appear pink or skin-colored, but when pressed in the center, the area can turn white.

Brenda Linday is a licensed aesthetician, licensed aesthetic instructor, and certified aesthetic consultant with over 16 years’ experience in the medical aesthetic industry. Linday serves as a consultant for medical and aesthetic companies desiring to build strong sales and education teams. She develops clinical and sales education content, and trains sales and educational units, clinicians, physicians, and distributors around the world. Linday is also a featured author in many industry publications. Her passion is sharing her wealth of knowledge with other like-minded professionals who believe that education is the key to building lasting relationships with our clients, making each clinician more successful by increasing client satisfaction. Reach her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or @LindayConsul