Apple Cider Vinegar vs Hives

You might have arrived because you’ve broken out in hives and you’re searching for a home remedy.

 

I broke out in hives all over my calves for a reason unknown. I've noticed for weeks now my eczema patches have been getting worse and they're spreading. I tried applying neem oil and that seemed to make things worse. The Jamaican black castor oil was not strong enough to calm my eczema. 

I realised that the itchy bumps which spread around from my shins were hives. The bumps swelled as I scratched like a mad woman. I had to run my calves under cold water, slather on hydrocortisone cream and take a loradatine tablet. 

 

The next morning I woke up feeling itchy and the hives spread above the knees. I couldn’t figure out why I had this reaction but I had to do something about the itch. The first thing I thought of was calamine lotion. I only had benetonite clay (one of the ingredients for calamine lotion) so I made a runny solution with filtered water and got instant relief as the clay did it's "sucking sensation" thing. Can't explain why but there is a noticeable tightening of the skin and that seemed to calm down the itch. The downside is that it leaves a grey powdery caste over my legs. It was unsightly and I couldn't wear leggings so I had to bare my legs at work. 

The tingly itch came back within minutes so I had to try something else. I was getting itchy on my belly and forearms too. Google guided me to a blog where someone used apple cider vinegar successfully to treat their hives. I had a bottle in the kitchen and dabbed it on. Thank goodness my hives calmed down. So glad it worked!

I made a mix of apple cider vinegar with a little benetonite clay. Later in the day, my hives came back again while I was at the gym. I put the mix on after a cool shower and felt conscious about the smell because I was in a crowded change room. 

At that point I was in a lot of discomfort. The next 20-15 mins still sucked, but trust me, the prickly itchies eventually calmed down. I will always carry this mix around with me while I have this allergic reaction. 

I'm now keeping a food diary and I've ordered soap nuts online to use as laundry detergent. They work great for cleaning my hair so I know they're safe. 

I have also started washing my clothes with Ecozone balls and washing soda crystals. As I hung the laundry to dry, my hands didn't feel as dry and irritated as they are normally. Yay for less chemicals!