Cold weather got you itching? You might be allergic to winter

ATLANTA - Brrr! As temperatures drop, you might think all you need to worry about is bundling up, but did you know you could actually be allergic to the cold? Yes, you read that right—cold weather can trigger an allergic reaction!

What we know:

According to the Cleveland Clinic, some people suffer from a rare condition called cold-induced urticaria. This isn’t just about shivering; it’s a real immune response. Allergist Dr. Sandra Hong says it can develop at any age, and there’s no set temperature that triggers it.

What they're saying:

"People can break out into hives or experience swelling when they’re exposed to colder temperatures," Dr. Hong explains. "This could happen while walking outside on a brisk winter day or even just stepping into a convenience store’s chilly cooler."

Two Types of Cold Urticaria

Not all cases of cold-induced urticaria are the same. There are two main types:

• Acquired Cold Urticaria: Also called essential cold urticaria, this is the most common form. It occurs in people with no family history of the disease. Symptoms—such as hives and swelling—typically appear within minutes of cold exposure and fade within an hour or two.
• Familial Cold Urticaria: This is an inherited form of the condition and is extremely rare. Symptoms may take 30 minutes to 48 hours to appear and can last for a day or two.

Who’s at Risk?

Cold urticaria can affect anyone, but while the familial form runs in families, most cases occur in people with no genetic link.

The condition is sometimes associated with underlying health issues, such as:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (a type of blood cancer)
• Cryoglobulinemia (a blood disorder that reacts to cold)
• Lymphosarcoma (cancer of the lymphatic system)
• Other types of urticaria (hives)
• Syphilis (a sexually transmitted disease)
• Viral infections such as mononucleosis or chickenpox

How to Manage It

What you can do:

So what’s behind this frosty phenomenon? It turns out some overactive immune systems release histamine in response to the cold, causing those itchy, red hives. But don't panic—there are ways to manage it:

• Avoid extreme cold whenever possible.
• Take antihistamines like Benadryl to prevent or reduce symptoms.

Additionally, those who suffer from the allergy may want to consider desensitization, which involves gradually exposing your body to increasingly cold temperatures, or epinephrine injections, which can slow a severe allergic reaction. 

While hives affect about 20% of people at some point in their lives, cold-induced urticaria is much rarer, affecting approximately 5% of the population—though the actual number may be higher since many cases go unreported. The familial form is even more rare.

So next time you’re out in the cold and start itching, don’t just blame dry skin. You might just be allergic to winter!