The study results were published in the journal the Lancet
(Picture: (Alamy/PA))A teenager with an ultra-rare condition says she can’t get wet without her skin breaking out in painful red hives that feel like “being doused with gasoline and set on fire”.
Sadie Tessmer, from Missouri, US, was diagnosed with aquagenic urticaria. She is is one of only 100 people diagnosed with the condition.
Tessmer loved going swimming and paddleboarding at the beach and was able to engage in regular activity until the middle of 2021.
In late 2021, the 14-year-old was perplexed when her skin started flaring up all over her body after she showered. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with the condition.
She has now been prescribed antihistamines and shots to help reduce the flare-ups caused by water, and is not allowed to participate in any sports (which will cause her to sweat) or water-related activities due to her condition.
Here’s what you need to know about the rare water allergy.
What is aquagenic urticaria?
Aquagenic urticaria is a rare condition in which urticaria (hives) appear rapidly after the skin comes in contact with water, regardless of its temperature.
These hives can be triggered from sweat, tears, rain, and snow.
Within minutes of being exposed to water, people with this condition can experience reddening skin, burning sensations, damage to skin tissue, itchy rash, and inflammation.
There’s no cure for aquagenic urticaria.
However, there are treatments to alleviate symptoms. Antihistamines, and sometimes an EpiPen in severe cases, are prescribed to ease symptoms.
Other treatments include UV light treatments, steroids, creams that act as a barrier, and bathing in sodium bicarbonate.
What causes aquagenic urticaria?
A definitive cause is yet to be discovered but may be due to a substance in water that triggers an immune response, according to the National Institute of Health.
Most cases occur randomly, with no family history of the disorder.
Women are more likely to experience symptoms, which typically start around puberty.
Once water is removed, the rash usually fades within 30 to 60 minutes.
