ABSTRACT
The urticarias are a group of dermatoses commonly known as hives. They consist of transient pruritic areas of erythema and dermal oedema which occur due to plasma leakage and resolve within hours without leaving residual cutaneous signs such as scaling or dryness. Lesions may take the form of focal papules, plaques, or annular areas of palpable dermal oedema with or without erythema (47). The time course, distribution, and morphology of the lesions is influenced by the precipitating cause.
