Can you drink alcohol in the early stages of urticaria?
Aug 11, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wenmin
Introduction
In general, alcohol consumption is not recommended during the initial stage of urticaria, as it may worsen symptoms or affect recovery; extra caution is needed. Besides avoiding alcohol, other potential triggers should also be avoided during the early phase of urticaria, such as spicy and irritating foods, seafood, and other allergenic foods. It is important to keep the skin clean and avoid scratching the affected areas to prevent skin damage and possible infection.
Generally, alcohol consumption is not recommended in the early stage of urticaria, as it may worsen symptoms or affect recovery. Specific explanations are as follows:
In the early stage of urticaria, skin symptoms such as hives and itching commonly appear. Alcohol, being a stimulant beverage, may dilate blood vessels, intensify skin inflammatory reactions, leading to an increase in hives and worsening itching, which is detrimental to symptom relief. Furthermore, alcohol may also affect the immune status of the body, interfere with the body's self-repair process, and prolong recovery time.
Some cases of urticaria are related to allergies. Even if one was not previously allergic to alcohol, the body is in a sensitive state during an urticaria outbreak, and drinking alcohol may trigger or worsen discomfort. Therefore, to prevent symptom aggravation, alcohol consumption should be strictly avoided during the initial phase.
In addition to avoiding alcohol, other potential triggering factors should also be avoided during the early phase of urticaria, such as spicy and stimulating foods, seafood, and other allergenic foods. Keeping the skin clean and avoiding scratching the affected areas are also important to prevent skin damage and subsequent infection.
