Comments on: The Girl Who Was Allergic to Water

By: Could Your Swimming Pool Give You A Rash? - Better Health

Could Your Swimming Pool Give You A Rash? - Better Health — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:59:15 +0000

[...] As with my patient, treating the allergic reaction with topical steroids and changing the pool’s shocking agent can help. At least he wasn’t allergic to water. [...]

By: Vita

Vita — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:52:52 +0000

I stumbled at this article when I was looking for images of hives to identify the ones my 3-year old had. I was so much surprised to see this image with hives that looked exactly like what I have on my face and chest after showering or bathing, and more – to learn that other people had it after being exposed to water! I’m now 40 and I’ve had this reaction since I was a teenager as far as I remember and I first thought that I was just “overly sensitive” (that was my self image because I had allergic asthma and nobody else around had it). Only quite recently I decided that it was probably a reaction to either chlorine in the water or chemicals in the soaps. It seems like I did not have the reaction after salty sea water. I purchased a shower water filter and paraben-free shower gels and I’ve been enjoying showering for 2 years now.

By: victor

victor — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:01:13 +0000

I’ve been having this same allergic problem with water since i was 12-13.I’m 18 now an i have not gone to a dermatologist.I payed no mind to it because i tut it was some sort of bacteria in my skin.There is so much that i had tried.From taking alcohol showers,bathing in herbal remedies,letting the water dry on my skin (SUPER ITCHY) to sleeping naked.lol.NOTHING WORKS.It changes your life dramatically when you have to give up the things that you love doing.”I can’t play sports with out looking like a crack head scratching,or go swimming at the beach or pool without having to keep my shirt on”.how am i suppose to show the ladies my packs with out having to blow dry my abdominal first. ESPECIALLY IF YOUR CUBAN WE LOVE THAT SALT LYFE.My conclusion is:We have it good compare to what other people have.*SO TURN THAT FROWN UP SIDE DOWN*

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 17 May 2011 06:26:03 +0000

*yes btw it started on my forearms i actually confused it for posion ivy. ive had it before and the hives were similar. but it went away and it just started progressing with more and more frequency.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 17 May 2011 06:24:00 +0000

I just started getting hives especially after showerin i am in my twenties and this just started happening. i’ve googled and seen images of mites and scabies rashes and mine are more like hives. they happen randomly. and the itching and hives dont last long but do happen rather frequently, at least 2x a day. But i dont think its bug bites or mites or anything bc the bumps and rashes vanish and i read that those bumps and rashes stay for several days to weeks. but these vanish leaving no trace.
mainly its around my waist band/ pantyline. and if i sometimes forget a hairband around my wrist (especially after a shower bc then the moist hairband causes it to break get really itchy hives) on my knees legs mostly my calves but sometimes thighs. sometimes my lower arms and rarely but on occasion my jawline/lower cheeks/face and neck area. Pretty much its all over, never all at once just random. at first my forearms were breaking out now its mostly my knees it just randomly affects different areas at a time. its terrible. could this be a a water allergy? bc it is insanely itchy after showers. bumps welts and hives.
i just dont know. and bc they go away i keep saying im going to get it checked out by the doctor but then i have no bumps or nothing to show since they go away after maybe no more than hour. maybe like 30minutes.

sorry for the long post.
_but your help is opinion is much appreciated.
thanks!

By: Stacy

Stacy — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:39:54 +0000

Hi, I would like to add that my daughter who is now 16 was diagnosed from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota a disease called Aqua Dynia. (Allergic to water). It is only now on the palm of her hands. She is on medication to stop the pain so she can take a shower daily. She is told that she is the 5th person in the world to have this. It started when she was young. She was always itchy after being in water. We purchased every lotion until it started to hurt which we understand it mainly was from the alcohol in lotions. She is in pain daily because of sweating. We live in Minnesota so the summers are her worst.

By: nora

nora — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:51:44 +0000

i would like to say that it is very interesting how someone can be allergic to water. I did not even know that was possible so how do they take a shower?

By: Nicky

Nicky — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:34:44 +0000

Considered this?

Polycythemia Rubivera: Has hyperviscosity, hypervolemia, HISTAMINEMIA, and hyperuricemia.

In PV- all cells are increased: RBC’s, WBC’s, platelets, including mast cells and basophils.

Example: Classic history: pt takes a shower and gets itchy all over body – this is a tip off for polycythemia rubivera – why? Mast cells and basophils are located in the skin and temperature changes can degranulate mast cells, causing a release of histamine, leading to generalized itching (very few things cause generalized itching – bile salt deposition in the skin in pts with obstructive jaundice, and pts with mast cell degranulation), face is red looking, too b/c of histamine b/c vasodilatation, leading to migraine-like headaches.

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:18:09 +0000

Yes, these strange allergies and urticarias do exist! This was a great article, and I always appreciate anyone taking the time to educate the public on these rare urticarias. As many of the above comments show, many doctors and the general public are ignorant about these conditions.

I suffer from cholinergic urticaria, and my life is torture. Most antihistamines don’t even begin to knock the hives down, and I can basically do nothing about it but avoid getting warm. My wife has to mow and weedeat the yard, and many times, even do grocery shopping.

I hope in the future technology will be able to find a better and safe treatment for these strange urticarias. In the meantime, I hope more and more people are able to raise awareness about it.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:12:23 +0000

I can understand that in rare cases people’s skin may have an allergic reaction when in contact with water. But, what doesn’t fit into my head is that some people that are allergic to water can’t actually DRINK it! That means the body rejects it internally as well. My question is…How is it possible for these people to live without drinking water. Our cells are mostly water, our body is about 60% water, most humans cannot survive more than 5 days without water so how is it physically possible?