Sorbitol can cause hives

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing in regards to your column about the woman with activity-induced hives. I, too, had a problem similar to that of the reader.

I had gone to have a facial and bought some of the products they offered. About a week or 10 days later, I started getting hives. They would appear out of nowhere. If I bumped my arm, a few minutes later I would have hives in that area.

As it progressed, my feet and hands would swell up. My lips would swell even with pressure. Sometimes the hives would appear like a thousand mosquito bites, and within 10 minutes would disappear. Some days all I could do was sit on the couch because I didn’t want to cause the hives to appear.
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