Allergic Hives or urticaria, are red, itchy bumps near the surface of the skin. Like many other allergies, they are the result of overproduction of histamine and any reaction can be caused by a wide variety of things. In many cases, skin hives are the consequence of a food allergy. Eggs, peanuts, shellfish, milk and other foods can cause hives. The bumps are not generally painful but the itchiness is uncomfortable and the hives can become worse by scratching.

It has been estimated that out of a population of three hundred million, almost two percent of adults and six percent of children in the US suffer from some type of food allergy. According to data from the Mayo clinic, that translates into six million adults and eighteen million children who are allergic to various elements hiding away in regular foods that we all consume on a daily basis.