#90 - Challenges of Chronic Urticaria in Skin of Color

Chronic hives (urticaria) don’t look the same on everyone, and for people with skin of color, this can lead to confusion, misdiagnosis, and frustrating delays in treatment.

Dr. Ama Alexis joins Dr. Gupta and Kortney to discuss the unique challenges of diagnosing and managing urticaria in skin of color. Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) can be especially tricky to identify in patients with darker skin tones, where traditional medical resources and visual aids often fall short.

Dr. Alexis explains how CSU appears differently in skin of color, discussing the difficulty of capturing hives on black and brown skin and offering advice for photographing hives to share with your doctor.

Dr. Gupta and Dr. Alexis also delve into the lack of diversity in clinical research and medical literature, exploring how these gaps contribute to mistrust and delays in treatment for patients of color. We end with a discussion on whether patients have better outcomes with providers who reflect the patient’s background.

What we cover in our episode about chronic urticaria in skin of color:

• Identifying CSU in Darker Skin Tones: Dr. Alexis shares insights on how hives appear on darker skin and gives tips for photographing hives accurately.
• Limited Visual Resources for Skin of Color: We discuss how a lack of reliable images for darker skin often leads to confusion and feelings of isolation.
• Provider Training and Diagnosis Delays: Dr. Alexis highlights how limited training in diagnosing skin conditions across all skin tones contributes to delays in care.
• Collaborating on a Treatment Plan: Tips for patients on advocating for inclusive care, with guidance on both over-the-counter and prescription options.
• Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare: Dr. Alexis shares ways healthcare providers can foster shared decision-making to improve outcomes for patients of color.

More resources about chronic hives in skin of color: 

• Chronic Urticaria Management, Resources & Glossary of Terms
• What is Chronic Urticaria
• Chronic Hives: 10 Actions to Support Mental Health
• Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Series

This episode is produced in partnership with Allergy & Asthma Network, with special thanks to Genentech for sponsoring this episode.