MyChronicHivesTeam Stories: Real Stories From Real Members

What Do Chronic Hives Look Like? Nicole’s Journey (VIDEO)

Written by Mikayla Morell

Posted on August 6, 2026

When Nicole Shelton first noticed a spot on her skin, she didn’t immediately recognize it as a sign of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), a common type of chronic hives.

“The very first time I had chronic hives, I assumed it was a mosquito bite,” she said.

🗳️ What do you find most challenging?

Side effects of treatments

Dealing with symptoms

Changes to my quality of life

All of the above

Nicole, a speech-language pathologist from Atlanta, didn’t think much of the spot at first. Then, more hives began to appear over time.

Chronic hives can look and feel different from person to person. For Nicole, they ranged widely in size.

What Do Chronic Hives Look Like? A Member’s Journey

Nicole shares her chronic hives diagnosis journey and encourages others to seek answers, stay open, and find support.

Watch More Videos From Nicole

Transcript

00:00:00:02 - 00:00:23:22
Nicole Shelton
The very first time I had chronic hives, I assumed it was a mosquito bite. However, once I learned what chronic hives was, I then began to seek answers. Some of the hives started as small as a penny, increasing to about a quarter, and some of them were big, like a golf ball, or like a tennis ball. My face can swell, my hands swell, my feet swell.

00:00:23:24 - 00:00:46:10
Nicole Shelton
The hives felt like something was on fire underneath my skin, as if there was an itch that I couldn't scratch. I would describe it as itchy sweater, but with hives you can't take off your skin. So you have this constant itchy, scratching, abrasive touch to your body. The process of getting my diagnosis started with a lot of unanswered questions.

00:00:46:10 - 00:01:11:02
Nicole Shelton
I began speaking with my primary care physician. I went to my endocrinologist, dermatologist, and ultimately, an allergist’s office, who was able to finally help me understand what was going on. Finally receiving a diagnosis with chronic spontaneous urticaria, or CSU, truly changed my life because I was able to now research and find other things that can help me understand what I was truly dealing with.

00:01:11:03 - 00:01:31:22
Nicole Shelton
The advice I would give to someone who's suffering from chronic hives is take your time that this journey is not a one day process, but it's going to take a while. Allow yourself to be open to learn and try new things. Seek community. Don't withdraw, but lean in. Learn more and connect at MyChronicHivesTeam.com.

“Some of them started as small as a penny, increasing to about a quarter,” she said. “And some of them were big … like a golf ball or a tennis ball.”

Nicole also experienced swelling beyond the raised areas on her skin.

“My face can swell, my hands swell, my feet swell,” she said.

More Than What You Can See

The appearance of Nicole’s hives was only one part of her experience. The itching and discomfort she experienced could become intense.

“The hives felt like something was on fire underneath my skin,” she said.

“I would describe it as an itchy sweater,” she said. “But with hives, you can’t take off your skin. So you have this constant itchy, scratching, abrasive touch to your body.”

— Nicole Shelton

Nicole compared the sensation to wearing uncomfortable clothing that couldn’t be removed.

“I would describe it as an itchy sweater,” she said. “But with hives, you can’t take off your skin. So you have this constant itchy, scratching, abrasive touch to your body.”

Searching for an Explanation

Finding answers took time. Nicole spoke with several healthcare professionals as she tried to understand what was happening to her body.

“The process of getting my diagnosis started with a lot of unanswered questions,” she said. “I began speaking with my primary care physician. I went to my endocrinologist, a dermatologist, and ultimately an allergist’s office.”

It took two and a half years for Nicole to receive a diagnosis of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).

A Diagnosis Opened New Doors

Receiving a diagnosis gave Nicole a clearer path forward.

“Finally receiving a diagnosis of chronic urticaria truly changed my life,” she said, “because I was now able to research and find other things that can help me understand what I was truly dealing with.”

“This journey is not a one-day process. … It’s going to take a while. Allow yourself to be open to learn and try new things.”

— Nicole Shelton

Today, Nicole shares her experiences with chronic hives in the hope of helping others feel less alone. She encourages people who are still searching for answers to be patient with themselves.

“Take your time,” she said. “This journey is not a one-day process. … It’s going to take a while. Allow yourself to be open to learn and try new things.”