A new campaign has been launched to raise awareness of a skin condition that affects one in four people at least once in their lives, but which many people are unfamiliar with.

Urticaria - the medical term for hives - causes severe itching and wheals (a temporary raised area of the skin). At any given time, up to 1% of the world's population has urticaria and of these, up to two-thirds have chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), an unpredictable disease that can lead to chronic itching, hives and deep swelling in the tissue of the skin.

CSU can appear suddenly and lasts longer than six weeks.

The international campaign, ‘Just Be U', aims to raise awareness of urticaria and help those living with it. The campaign is supported by the Irish Skin Foundation and a number of Irish skin experts.

"Urticaria, or hives, is a very common, intensely itchy rash, which is often associated with swelling of the skin. When this happens most people worry that they have an allergy. However allergies cause acute urticaria - not chronic urticaria," explained Dr Mary Keogan, a consultant immunologist at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

She pointed out that urticaria that is caused by an allergy usually occurs within an hour of exposure to the allergen, and symptoms then go away within hours. However, if urticaria is present a lot and is not related to allergens, this is considered CSU.

Dr Keogan said that in most cases, chronic urticaria can be controlled by antihistamines. If these are not sufficient, ‘there are alternative medications which can control the condition'.

For more information on the Irish Skin Foundation and urticaria, click here