My fiance is 22 and has had exercise-induced hives for about the past four years.
Everytime he gets overheated, (it doesn't take much- he's very temperature-sensitive) he becomes very red. The hives always begin on the inner sides of his elbows along with his feet. His face, hands, and extremities begin breaking out in itchy and red blotches and welts. Then, within a few more minutes, his torso, and back will begin to break out.
He saw an allergist, and they managed to control the hives through a combination of several strong prescription medicines including effexor, naproxen, ranitidine (Zantac), and amitriptyline. He was on this combination and able to control the hives for a couple of years.
Recently, though, he has had some other health problems and has had to quit taking the medicines prescribed to help with the hives. Thus, the condition has returned full-force.
He gets some relief from a cold shower, but he is having a hard time exercising for more than a few minutes. This is a problem because he truly enjoys working out and misses it when he cannot.

Does anyone have any tips on coping with this condition? Maybe there are supplements or creams that could help calm his skin? Or even prescription medicines that he could (eventually) mention to his allergist?

Any help would be MUCH appreciated!!

Hmm... maybe this problem is pretty rare. Oh well, thanks everyone for viewing the post!

It almost sounds like a variation of eczema. I actually get kind of the same thing. There is a steroid cream you can get by perscription called Topicort, and while it is very effective, it has a lot of side effects. I had one of my doc's tell me to use Tinactin (the athelete's foot cream). Its an antifungal, but I think it works because it helps keep the area dry and prevents the onset of the hives. It's a combination of heat amd moisture at the joints or at skin folds hat irritates the condition. The Tinactin has worked pretty well for me. It's pretty inexpensive - might be worth a shot. Good luck.

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Keep your body lean, your blood clean and your mind sharp. -Rollins

We bought some Tinactin stuff, so he'll give it a shot. Where do you apply it? Just where you break out the worst? Do you put it on right before you work out or after? Thanks!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

yeah. wherever the breakouts usually occur. I do before and after. Taking a cold shower right afterward seems to help too. Good luck.

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Keep your body lean, your blood clean and your mind sharp. -Rollins

It sounds like it could be fungal or bacterial related, and I'd go with the Tinactin too. Try to not scratch even though it probably feels like it's stinging and itchy, and keep the skin dry and clean. So shower right after each workout and apply the Tinactin. There's also creams that can be got through prescription.

Foliculitis is another condition usually seen on men who shave when the hair grows back into the skin and gets infected and worsened from sweating, and it looks quite similar. Same thing, though, it can be fungal or bacterial.

It actually is not that uncommon to have skin reactions induced through exercise, and most often it's red, bumpy, itchy, and includes breakouts.