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![Yoon Eun-hye [Yoon Eun-hye YouTube]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/28/news-p.v1.20260928.be8948c7f4454058a9af766980fb18cc_P1.jpg)
Actor Yoon Eun-hye, a former member of the girl group Baby V.O.X, has opened up about a severe allergic reaction she experienced — one that began in her hands and spread to her neck, the tops of her feet and her face, leaving her unable to sleep from the intense itching.
Yoon shared photos of her hands during the episode on her YouTube channel, saying the symptoms started with severe redness, itching and swelling.
"Later the swelling went down, but it turned so red and itchy that nothing I did helped," she said. "It spread to my neck, then the tops of my feet, then my face."
Yoon had previously said the reaction came on after she suffered a bad cold. The symptoms lasted about 10 days, worsened to the point where the color of her hands visibly changed, and disrupted her sleep.
When a sudden red rash and itching appear on the skin after a respiratory infection such as a cold, acute urticaria — commonly known as hives — is one possibility to consider. Viral infections are among the well-known triggers of acute urticaria, alongside food and medication, and a recent systematic review confirmed respiratory infections as one of the leading precipitating factors.
Acute urticaria occurs when mast cells in the skin release histamine and other substances, causing blood vessels to dilate and fluid to leak into surrounding tissue. The hallmark signs are sudden redness, raised welts and intense itching. Lesions can appear and disappear within minutes to hours, sometimes shifting to new areas of the body.
Acute urticaria is defined as cases in which symptoms resolve within six weeks. Triggers can include respiratory infections like the common cold, as well as food, medication, insect bites and physical stimuli. In some cases, no clear cause is found.
When symptoms appear across multiple areas — as they did for Yoon, affecting her hands, neck, feet and face — the infection itself, any medications taken during that period, and dietary factors may all be worth examining together.
The severe hand swelling and facial symptoms Yoon described are consistent with the kind of allergic skin reactions seen in such cases.
Beyond the skin surface, the lips and the area around the eyes can also swell. This is known as angioedema — swelling that originates in the deeper layers of the skin and can cause sudden puffiness around the eyelids, lips and extremities. Unlike the raised welts of urticaria, angioedema tends to be deeper and longer-lasting.
If redness and itching in the hands persist for an extended period and are accompanied by flaking or cracking skin, contact dermatitis is another condition worth ruling out. It can be triggered by substances that come into contact with the skin — detergents, cosmetics, metals or fragrances — and symptoms often last longer than those of urticaria.
Allergies after a cold are often attributed to a weakened immune system, but the actual process is more complex. Immune signals activated during an infection can stimulate mast cells in the skin, prompting histamine release. Beyond the virus itself, medications taken during the illness — such as fever reducers, pain relievers or antibiotics — can also trigger hives.
Particularly if skin symptoms began after starting a new medication during a cold, it is important to note which drug was taken and when the symptoms first appeared.
Research analyzing infection-related urticaria has also found respiratory infections to be among the factors most strongly associated with acute hives. In most cases, skin symptoms tend to improve within days to weeks as the infection resolves.
The primary treatment for urticaria is antihistamines, which work by blocking the effects of histamine. Current international urticaria treatment guidelines recommend second-generation H1 antihistamines — which cause relatively less drowsiness — as the first-line option. If symptoms recur or persist, a clinician can adjust the dosage and treatment approach based on the patient's condition.
When symptoms recur for six weeks or longer, the condition is classified as chronic urticaria. In chronic cases, the cause is often not a single food or substance but rather a process in which skin mast cells are repeatedly activated.
If a red rash and itching persist for more than a few days, or keep recurring, it is advisable to see a dermatologist or allergist, who can assess the appearance and duration of symptoms and review recent medications, foods and any infections.
When skin symptoms are accompanied by difficulty breathing, a tightening sensation in the throat, severe swelling of the tongue or lips, or dizziness, anaphylaxis should be suspected.
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency in which an allergic reaction rapidly spreads throughout the body, potentially narrowing the airway and causing a drop in blood pressure. Symptoms can include hives and itching alongside shortness of breath, wheezing, voice changes, nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness or fainting.
In such cases, taking an antihistamine and waiting is not sufficient. Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis, and immediate care at an emergency medical facility is essential.
When itching and swelling spread across multiple areas of the body and begin to affect daily life and sleep — as they did for Yoon — it is best not to dismiss the symptoms as a minor skin irritation. Keeping a record of foods eaten, any new medications taken, recent infections, and cosmetics or cleansers used just before symptoms appeared can help identify the cause.
Allergic skin reactions can present differently in the same person depending on the timing and trigger. When a sudden red rash and itching recur or spread, seeking medical attention early to identify the precise cause is important.
rainbow@heraldcorp.com
