Our whole family (2 adults+2teens) have come out in hives, very itchy and annoying!

[HivesChives]

No Idea what's caused it, we haven't changed anything like laundry liquid (still use ecover), haven't changed our diet.
The worst affected area for everyone is the feet and ankles, see photos of me, Dad, but we have the odd hive in other parts of the body as well.
We've tried antihistamines to no avail.
The weather hasn't even been particularly hot for the last month.
Any suggestions/advice?

That looks really uncomfortable! Are you sure it's hives and not bites? Have you all been out by the water or in the woods?

I'd agree they look like bites rather than hives

That doesn’t look like hives to me, and I’d have thought it unusual for you all to be affected if it was.

Lower limbs may suggest fleas? That a possibility?

They look worse because I've been scratching them using my opposite foot, so itchy. The others look more hive like.
We haven't been in any outdoor parks/fields

No pets who could have fleas? Have you recently been away and could have picked up bed bugs in a hotel?

They look like flea bites to me to: whole family affected, itchy, lower limbs (nearest the floor) would all point to it too. Try leaving a bowl of warm water on the floor and see if any fleas jump into it

We do have a cat but she is up to date with flea treatment.
Like I said they are worst on feet and ankles but there are odd ones in other parts of the body.

We haven't stayed anywhere else in the last 3/4 months.

Would we not see/feel fleas? Nobody has noticed anything like that.

I would treat it as flea infestation, it’s by far most likely. If that doesn’t work look to other things.

Indorex is the spray you need for the home. Also treat the cat , obviously.

That's not hives. Agree that it's bites of some kinds.

Just seems odd you are all affected. Has anyone been ill?

I'd say they are flea bites as well, I had bites loads of times as a kid if I went into any house that had fleas I'd be eaten alive. Fleas seem to love me.

They always appear more on the bottom of the legs/feet because they jump from the carpet and bite you, I'm surprised you haven't seen them because I used to feel when I was bit and if I looked down I'd actually see the flea on my leg then a welt would appear.

I would suspect fleas. Many of the usual flea treatments no longer work as fleas have become immune. You may need something stronger for the cat and something to treat your home.

Have you been to the beach?
Looks like sandflies or handfoot and mouth.

Any issues near hands, or ulcers?

We have all been ill with some COVID like virus in the last week(tested negative ) but we've had the hives for a month or more.

As Skulldrudgery says, make a flea trap - nothing to loose.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Flea-Trap

You've had this for a month and haven't seen a GP?! Why?

I only ask as a child I met recently had a chest infection recently and suffered an unusual side effect which was hives and a rash that would come and go a bit. I can’t remember what it was called though. Also unlikely you would all have the same thing though.

I'd almost bet my life on flea bites!

We have some sort of horrible bitey, flealike creature which I swear lives in our lawn. We back onto fields so it may be they come from there, but I don't know what they are. Can't hang out the washing without having ankles and legs bitten and looking like we're infested with fleas. It's far worse when DH insists on not mowing the grass for eco reasons.

Have you all been out in no-mow May grass in your garden?

your whole family has been like this for a month?

Make a flea trap, nothing to lose, and go to the GP.

My DS came up in hives about a month after Covid. They didn't look like the photo though, which is more suggestive of bites. Dampen a piece of kitchen paper towel and run it over your cat. If you pick up dark specs and they slowly leach out to a rust colour, sadly you have fleas. I had a similar issue when flea treatment stopped working on my cats. A change of product, washing and vacuuming everything and liberally using Indorex sorted it. Good luck.

I’d bet on fleas from the cat. Ours had them about 10 years ago and he was up to date on treatment, the buggers can be resistant sometimes especially if you’re using stuff like frontline. Get the cat and brush them collecting any dirt on a bit of kitchen roll. Dab it with water and if any specs turn reddish then it’s flea dirt.