Awful hives on face, quite worried

[Richelieu]

This is a weird one (and very long - sorry) and if anyone can point me in the direction of a solution I’ll be forever grateful.

Some years ago, I had a strange, unexplained flare-up of horrendous hives all over my face while staying with family, and saw my GP, to no avail - they couldn’t understand what had caused it, decided it was an allergy of some sort, and prescribed fexofenadine to take in case it happened again. The tablets seemed to work and the problem completely went away and never returned when I was back in my own home. I’m not an allergy-prone person at all normally.

I assumed it was a strange one-off…..until a few weeks ago when, back here again, my face and neck suddenly blew up dramatically within a couple of hours. My face goes horrifically red (I'm pale-skinned normally), unbearably itchy, it puffs up. My skin is burning hot and I feel like I could rip my face off trying not to scratch. It’s just my face and neck, ie the uncovered bits of my body, that seem to be affected.

I’m having to visit and stay here a lot at the moment. And the last two times I’ve had this same reaction. It’s completely baffling but also very worrying because it’s now seeming to happen quite quickly after I come into the house. Never happens anywhere but here.

The house is old and has had woodworm treatment but googling suggests insect bites don’t produce this kind of reaction. I’ve wondered if it could be dust mites - but I don’t have any kind of wheeziness or hay-fever type symptoms, only the skin thing. It’s the awful, extreme nature of it that worries me. And despite the fact that I've known the house forever and spent large chunks of my life here not having this problem at all.

Apologies for the essay but can anyone think of any reason why this is happening? And what I could do? The GP seemed baffled so I guess a dermatologist? The usual things are all the same as I normally have, washing powder etc.

Sorry for the huge essay ☹️

Well I'd remove myself from the environment until knowing what it was. That sounds alarming.

The fact it's your head, I'd be looking at what you sleep on.

Washing powder or fabric softener they use... Or the pillow you are using is full of feathers. Or is made of latex type fibre. Sounds like a contact allergy, I'm going for the pillow as the cause.

Some people have an allergic reaction to woodworm killer treatment.

Thanks for the suggestions - honestly, I’ve been through all of those ideas!

The woodworm treatment hadn’t happened when I had the first outbreak of hives.

I'm sleeping on my own pillow and pillowcase from home (I’m sad enough to bring it with me as it’s so comfortable), which doesn’t cause any problems at all at home - so I really don’t think it can be that.

But yes, I’m baffled by the fact it’s my head and neck that's affected, which does suggest something external.

Could it be a towel you are using? Or a soap/shampoo/conditioner. If I was you I'd just take the fexofenadine before you go and whilst your there

Do they use any air fresheners/cleaning products etc that may linger in the air?

Do they have animals?

Alternatively, it might seem unlikely but it could just be a coincidence that it's happened both times whilst you've been at that house, I suppose? If so then consider factors such as hair dye, cosmetics, and food allergies too...sorry 😳

Similar skin tone and had to stop eating porridge/ oats a few years back as I was getting huge red blotches on my face. I love porridge.

Is it dust? When I moved into my flat years ago for months I had what you describe. Huge puffy face, itchy as hell. Eyes were like pinpricks most of the time. I realised that the walls were actually covered in dust (new build, walls painted but covered in a layer of dust and plaster I guess). I spent a day cleaning all the walls and ceilings...the reaction stopped. Could be similar as its just the face, you're breathing it in...

No animals…..and I've brought the same toiletries I have at home. Sorry to sound as though I’m rejecting everyone's ideas - this is exactly what I’ve been doing, racking my brains to pin down what could be causing it.

I do now take the fexofenadine while I’m here, but I think I might try some OTC piriton as well - I think it’s OK to take both.

It's possible that it could be coincidence that it’s just happened while I'm here….it just seems odd. But it’s possible.

Are you stressed whilst there? Could it be a stress reaction?

@Valhalla17 I'm inclined to think you might be getting closer - I’m supervising building works and yes, there’s a lot of dust around.

@PutYourBackIntoit and you're right on the money too - see post above - it's definitely stressful!

No I mean do they use air freshener? I read a story about a man who reacted similar to air fresheners as it contained a chemical found in household cleaning products

This is very odd, I wrote a whole reply to you @Believeitornot, and posted it - but it’s not here. How strange.

Anyway - no, no air freshener used here either.

I woke up in the night feeling very itchy but my face has calmed down a bit in terms of the redness and heat. Still not back to normal, though.

I’ve ordered an anti-allergy mattress cover just in case that makes any difference, and am picking it up later. I did have one here before but I think it must have got put away when things were moved for the renovation works, and I can’t find it.