Water is vital for our bodies to function, but what if you were allergic to it? The scientific name for a rare allergy to water is called aquagenic urticaria. There are only 100 people in the world known to have the condition. For people who have the allergy, hives develop rapidly after the skin comes in contact with water, including sweat, tears, and even being out in the rain. Once the skin is dry, the hives generally fade within 30-60 minutes. The condition is only triggered by skin contact and not from drinking water, so those who suffer from the disorder are not at risk of dehydration. Aquagenic urticaria is extremely rare, and doctors don’t have a full understanding of why it occurs. Loren Montefusco, 22, from South Carolina suffers from the condition and says that taking a shower is like having claws digging into her skin. As a result, she avoids showering as long as possible. She has even resorted to using dry shampoo because the longer she spends in the shower washing her hair, the worse it gets. As soon as she gets out of the shower, she has to fully clothe herself as quickly as possible to stop the air from hitting her skin, as that heightens the pain as well. Due to the condition's rarity, little is known about how best to treat it, but some therapies include antihistamines, UV light treatments, steroids, creams that act as a barrier, and bathing in sodium bicarbonate. There is no cure at this time, but doctors have noticed that it tends to fade later in life.
