#Aquagenic Urticaria

[internationalnewz]

Rare Allergy Affliction: 22-Year-Old Woman Claims She Can't Shower Due to Water Allergy

A 22-year-old woman from South Carolina, Loren Montefusco, has revealed that she is allergic to water, preventing her from showering and causing severe itching, according to a report in the New York Post. Montefusco suffers from aquagenic urticaria, a rare form of hives that manifests as a rash upon exposure to water. With only 37 documented cases in medical literature, this condition is exceptionally uncommon, making Montefusco’s experience highly unique.

Montefusco explained that her itching can persist for up to an hour after any water exposure, making it challenging for her as a young woman. Describing the sensation as an itch deep beneath the skin’s surface, she shared her struggle to resist scratching, resorting to self-induced pain to divert her focus from the irritation.

The 22-year-old first noticed the condition at the age of 12, and it has progressively worsened over the years. After seeking medical attention three years later, she received a diagnosis of aquagenic urticaria.

As there is no known cure for the allergy, Montefusco manages her discomfort by minimizing water contact. She limits her baths, takes quick showers, and swiftly changes into clothes to avoid exacerbating her symptoms. Even exposure to cold air and activities like scrubbing or shaving intensify her pain. Sweat, as well as environments like the ocean, hot tubs, and pools, can worsen her bath rash.

Montefusco shared her attempts to cleanse using a cloth and water, but the allergic reaction persists. Dry shampoo has become her go-to for a speedy shower alternative. She emphasized that using “body wipes” is the only reliable method to cleanse without triggering her allergy.

Beyond the physical challenges, the constant pain has taken a toll on Montefusco’s mental well-being. She admitted feeling self-conscious about her reluctance to shower, deeming it “disgusting.” Fortunately, she found solace in a social media community of individuals facing similar challenges, forming a support network of people who, like her, abstain from showers.

Discovering others who share her struggle has provided Montefusco with a sense of solidarity, making her feel “less gross” about the necessity to refuse showers.

#Aquagenic Urticaria #water allergy #woman allergic to water

[dyslexic-dyspraxic]

Got a new watch and I forgot the horror of wearing something strapped to my skin when you have mild aquagenic urticaria

#have yo be careful washing ny hands because boy do I not want that itch #it's leaving a nice little red imprint on my wrist #but the convenience of a watch #urticaria #aquagenic urticaria #skin allergies

[drabbleitout]

Me: Man, I think I just really hate summer.

Everyone: OMG what is wrong with you?? It's the one season that's not depressing! Time to have fun! Sunshine and warm weather! Beach trips! Pool time! Hot and alive!!

Me, w/a water allergy: Yeah... awesome...

#finding out I have Aquagenic urticaria like I'm just a rare pokemon like that I guess #Me: I thought it was just acid rain #My new dermatologist: dude no

[grayeyedandroid]

hot or cold showers? also how long are they?

hot as can be. which isn't great for my low blood pressure but also i cannot stand the cold i simply would rather almost pass out than be pelted with ice. also as long as I can until the hives start kicking in big time

#context for the hives: i have aquagenic urticaria. so water allergy #when water comes in contact with my skin i break out into hives #i have it pretty mild so mostly its just annoying

[triptychofvoids]

Doc is it normal to have a water allergy

well, no, but not impossible either! its called aquagenic urticaria, and its extremely rare!

#and it hasnt been determined yet exactly what causes it #but one of the theories is that it may be the water interacting with something on the skin #or perhaps allergens within the water as opposed to the water itself #very interesting to me!! #although rather unfortunate i suppose if it affects you #the doc is in #replies from the void

[feminismisstillahatemovement]

I appreciate your answer about sex, (but do find it unsatisfactory to exclude outliers because they're inconvenient.) Incidentally, have you asked yourself what constitutes a medical condition as opposed to a natural variation? Why isn't left-handedness a medical condition when it clearly makes life harder? How about extreme introversion? -- Id ssy it boils down to values. The things we consider conditions are largely (90%) that which society does does not value. Which is why I find your hand-waving towards medical conditions unsatisfactory. It's not based in science, it's based in feeling and sentiment.

"I appreciate your answer about sex, (but do find it unsatisfactory to exclude outliers because they're inconvenient.)"

I don't see how pointing out that medical conditions that only affect 1 in however many tens of thousands of people cannot be held up as the everyday norm and be meaningfully reflective of the wider population or our general definitions of male and female is excluding outliers: I've taken the time to actively address them, and weigh up their relevance in the matter under discussion, even though it's a bit like talking about the influence and importance of a single raindrop falling in the ocean.

There's a rare medical condition called Auto-Brewery Syndrome, in which alcohol is produced in a non-drinker's stomach only through the fermentation of carbohydrate-rich food: are we excluding and 'erasing' those sufferers by not talking about them every time we discuss alcoholism or pub closing times or instruct people not to drink and drive? Or do we just all realize that outlier will not have any meaningful application in these matters for 99.99% of the people we are addressing?

There's another extremely rare condition known as 'aquagenic urticaria'; an allergy to water, in which itchy hives break out on people's bodies whenever they are exposed to it. Are we cruelly excluding the experiences of those people by not bringing them up every time we talk about going swimming or taking a shower? Should their existence make us reconsider everything we know about human beings and H20?

Also, I'm humouring you because it's an interesting topic to explore and think on, but it must be pointed out that I'm really not here to "satisfy" you in any way: you are the one putting forth the brand new, untested and outlandish position that a person can simply choose their sex or race or height or number of eyes (delete as applicable), and that the rest of the world must fall in line with that belief. But the overwhelming majority of the human race does not agree with that belief, and never has: therefore, the burden of proof and argument must remain with you.

"Incidentally, have you asked yourself what constitutes a medical condition as opposed to a natural variation? Why isn't left-handedness a medical condition when it clearly makes life harder?"

I suppose one of the differences would be that around 10% or more of the population is left-handed, and it has been reliably documented for hundreds of years in a way that the present explosion of teenage girls wanting to have their breasts cut off has not. There is, in fact, no precedent for the present situation - it doesn't even resemble the documented (and disproportionately male) cases of transvestisism throughout history.

Also, I don't see how being left-handed makes LIFE 'harder', other than human-made objects like tin openers are set up for use by the majority: I'm not aware that left-handed people are massively more likely to kill themselves than righties, for instance, or that there's huge numbers of left-handers getting both hands cut off and swapped and stitched back on so that they can feel normal.

I know the transgenderist argument is that there has apparently been a large increase in the visibility of left-handed people since religious superstitions fell by the wayside and schools stopped forcing them to write with their other hand, and hence the number of male rapists today identifying as women once arrested must simply be because of the removal of the stigma around doing so, and that these courageous and beautiful women are at last able to live their truth out in the open, or at least in the general population of a women's prison.

But is that really the only explanation? Is that really the best explanation?

To take a different example from the news, this past year there has been an unprecedented rise in people throwing soup at culturally invaluable paintings: is this best explained as something that people have always innately needed to do whenever they see a beautiful work of art, and as necessary to them as breathing for them to keep on living, but have always just been unjustly prevented from doing so by the soupnormative paintriarchy, or is it more likely that most of the people doing it today are gripped with an ideologically-created hysteria, that has told them they will be admired or rewarded in some way by their teachers and peers for doing so, which in turn will make them feel they are good and special?

Although in the case of the wide variety of medical and psychological conditions that are presently being included in the umbrella category of "gender" there must be many, many factors to take into consideration, my impression continues to be that foremost among them has to be social contagion.

"I find your hand-waving towards medical conditions unsatisfactory. "

"It's not based in science, it's based in feeling and sentiment."

Pot, meet kettle.

[skin-and-bonez]

Hiii welcome to my blog! this blog is my safe space to talk about my ed. if that makes you uncomfortable please block, don’t report.

🖤About me🖤

🐦‍⬛I love music, movies, reading, photography, insects and animals, tattoos, piercings, space, traveling, and socializing with my friends

🕷️Fun facts: I have been to disneyland 16 times, I have an allergy to water called aquagenic urticaria, and I collect stuffed animals, books, vinyls, and rocks/crystals

▪️DNI▪️

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🌌Welcome!!🌌

[bewilderedbuck]

you take my hand and drag me headfirst

happy happy birthday rae @ice-sculptures !!!

In Ben’s defense, it’s not his fault that their date literally got rained on.

Not that it was much of a date, he thinks, as he and Devi shove their waterlogged textbooks and flooded picnic basket into the trunk of his car. Yeah, they’ve both claimed booksmarts as part of their brand, but who wants to go over Advanced Calculus while sipping sparkling grape juice and nibbling on fresh fruit and finger sandwiches?

“Hey,” Devi says, jumping up to sit on the trunk after it’s been slammed shut. “Get over here.” She pats the space next to her in invitation.

“It’s still raining,” Ben remarks, looking up to the sky. A raindrop falls in his eye, making him wince. “We should get out of here before you catch a cold. God knows you’re insufferable when you’re sick.” There’s no bite behind it (there never is, anymore), and he sits next to her anyway.

“I had a good time,” she says as she takes his hand in hers. “Plus a little rain never hurt anybody.” She bumps her shoulder against his, jostling him.

He could mention that hundreds of thousands of people get into car accidents every year due to rainfall. He could bring up the rare cases of aquagenic urticaria. Hell, he could even tease her about the time she slipped on a wet patch of floor in front of the entire class when they were in eighth grade, just to be annoying. He doesn’t, though.

“We haven’t really been on a date since we got back together,” he mumbles. He doesn’t mention that they never really went on dates the first time they were together, either, unless you count watching Jeopardy and making out in his bedroom as a date. “And I know that a study date isn’t peak romance, but you said you still needed to study for the AP Physics exam, so I thought, two birds, one stone.”

“I thought it was sweet,” she assures him. “Plus,” she draws out, sliding off the trunk and tugging at his arm. “Date’s not over yet.”

“What are you doing?” Ben asks, trying - and failing - not to smile as she continues pulling him towards her. 

She drops his hand and walks over to the passenger side of his car, opening the back door and ruffling around for a few moments until she emerges, triumphant, holding a small, oblong object.

“Come on!” she shouts, slamming the door shut and reaching for his hand again, dragging him back into the grass where just ten minutes ago they were going over flashcards and munching on the fancy cheese his mom buys but never eats. Devi turns to him and hands him the object - the bluetooth speaker that’s been underneath his passenger seat for months, he realizes - and pulls out her phone. She’s got a cheeky smile across her face, and her hair is stuck to her forehead and neck with the rain that’s still drizzling over them.

It’s not a new feeling, it’s not a revelation, it’s not even surprising, but he thinks, as he sees her smile grow wider, as he hears a Taylor Swift song blast through the speaker, as she starts twirling around in the wet grass and singing along to the lyrics - he thinks, I love her.

He hasn’t said it out loud yet, but he’s sure she knows. He tells her with every kiss, he tells her with every lovesick look on his face, with Netflix romcom marathons and poorly designed blanket forts and a pint of her favorite ice cream always in his freezer. He tells her with a cup of coffee in the passenger cup holder, ready for her each morning. He tells her with study dates and fancy cheese and he tells her, now, with a hand wrapped around her waist, with a spin under his arm, with a kiss pressed to her temple, as they gracelessly stomp through the park, water and mud soaking through their clothes.

The song fades out into something slower, and Devi wraps her arms around his neck, swaying back and forth. There’s a look in her eyes, something warm and sweet that he wants to bottle up and keep just for himself.

He thinks, She loves me.

She says, “I love you.”

#everyone say happy birthday 2 rae or else!!!! #rae tag #mutuals #benvi #nhie #myfic

[911firefox]

My first thought about the episode is kinda dorky delight.

I was born with aquagenic urticaria. It was way worse as a baby but yeah.

I've never met anyone else with it, never had anyone else heard if it and then it's on my fave TV show.

For me it's not that drastic. I can have small exposures bht I have to balance it. I can't do the washing up if I've washed my hair in a certain span of time tho. If I do the washing up I shouldn't submerge my hands if I can help it and I need to do it as briefly as possible. Water sprinklers wouldn't do what happened to the girl, my reaction is slower to come up bht good it burns and itches and my skin crawls.

Anyway, thanks for reading this I appreciate the tolerating my ramble.

#911 spoilers #6.13 #this was very cool for me ok

[ladynicte]

My most self indulgent personal headcanon about Nico di Angelo is that he has a water allergy and also straight up melts away if he touches rivers on the living world at all

Don't ask me how I got so attached to Nico with aquagenic urticaria but somehow I did

#like with salt water if he touches it he will get a pretty severe allergic reaction with rivers though he touches it at all and immediately #starts melting away #nico di angelo #luna's headcanons #water in the underworld is just fine for him to touch but he still cant cross the rivers without a raft or something first #also as always i Am thinking of ways of making that concept into percico

[lights-out-knives-out]

Hey do you want a new way to make your Whumpee suffer?

Give them Aquagenic Urticaria!

It’s a super rare condition that makes people have an allergic reaction when the touch and or consume water! It’s also triggered by sweat!

It’s most commonly found in girls, but who wants a female Whumpee anyway?

But as being someone who has it, I give it a 0/10 no stars. I am in constant pain. Happy Whumping!

#whump community #whump #whumpblr #whump prompts #seriously it sucks #weird allergies

[generalgri3vous]

🌻 If you get this, answer with 3 random facts about yourself and send it to the last 7 blogs in your notifications, anonymously or not! Let's get to know the person behind the blog 🌻

boy howdy its trivia time

1: im incredibly colorblind, and cant escape the irony of my life being a colorblind artist.

2: im allergic to water, but am now on medication to help with that. (aquagenic urticaria)

3: all the costumes i make are all made of recycled materials, such as cardboard, and paper. DIY for the win! for example, last year's General Grievous suit

#ask game

[softredrobin]

dreading the time when I have to actually explain aquagenic urticaria to my new roommates

#do you know how ppl react to me telling them i can't drink water. they lose their marbles #sometimes ppl think it's made up even when they can literally see the reaction form on my skin #like im lucky enough that sodium levels can reduce the reaction and I can live a mostly normal life because i have an extremely mild form #but it's so awful to have to explain over and over that if i drink water i will get very sick very fast #and that i have to hydrate some other way #ren rambles #just new roommate things ig

[waterfiltergurus]

Understanding Aquagenic Urticaria: The Rare Water Allergy

Everyone knows that water is essential for all life. Now, imagine having a condition where this life-sustaining substance triggers an allergic reaction. This is an extremely rare water allergy called Aquagenic Urticaria. This condition, though uncommon, leads to an allergic reaction upon contact with water, regardless of temperature. In this blog post, we will discuss Aquagenic Urticaria, exploring its symptoms, causes, diagnosis, as well as possible treatment options. 📌 Key Takeaways - Aquagenic urticaria is a very rare form of hives that is triggered by exposure to water. - The cause of this condition is unknown. - It can be managed through different oral and topical medications. 🤔 What is Aquagenic Urticaria? Aquagenic urticaria is an extremely rare form of urticaria AKA hives. Essentially when your body comes into contact with water you develop hives or a rash. This allergy is so rare there have been less than 100 reported cases. While there is a higher prevalence of diagnosis among females, the typical age of onset is around puberty. Some cases of aquagenic urticaria have been familial, suggesting there may be a genetic component as well. However, most reported cases are sporadic. 📝 Symptoms Within 20 to 30 minutes of exposure to water, this condition leads to hives or a rash typically located on your arms, chest and trunk, while the palms of your hands and soles of your feet are usually spared. Hives or "wheals" are typically 1-3mm in size. The wheals usually resolve on their own within 30-120 minutes after no longer having contact with water. Alongside the wheals, the allergic reaction may be accompanied by a burning sensation, itching or swelling In some cases, even drinking water can result in swollen lips or a rash around the mouth. Very rarely, in severe cases some individuals may have shortness of breath or wheezing. 🩺 Diagnosis of aquagenic urticaria A medical doctor is responsible for diagnosis of this condition and may suspect it if someone has a history of hives after skin contact with water. Given the rareness of this condition it is important that the doctor rule out other causes of urticaria (hives). There are several forms of urticaria that have similar signs and symptoms to aquagenic urticaria so it's important that these are also considered as a possible diagnosis. Once all other causes of urticaria are excluded, how is aquagenic urticaria diagnosed? In order to diagnose the condition, a patient must undergo a water challenge test AKA as a water provocation test. The water challenge test requires applying water to a cloth, applying the cloth to the patient's upper trunk for 30 minutes, and assessing the patient's skin for a hive-like reaction. ❗️ Causes While experts have hypothesized the pathogenesis of aquagenic urticaria, the exact cause of this allergy is not well understood. One of the hypotheses suggest that the itchy hives are formed because the water might be reacting with unknown components in the skin causing a histamine release from mast cells AKA allergy cells. However, it is not clear at this time why the histamine is released. Aquagenic urticaria can be triggered regardless of temperature, saltiness or pH. For example, even an individual's own sweat and tears could trigger the hives. In general, any water exposure triggers the hives. 💊 Treatment Options Obviously, it is not feasible to avoid water completely even if you suffer from aquagenic urticaria. This is because even though you may have the condition or water allergy, your body still needs water to survive. Therefore, the main goal of treatment is to minimize or prevent symptoms induced by water exposure. Medications One of the main forms of treatment is to take a second generation antihistamine prophylactically. This means you take the medication before you have symptoms in order to prevent the onset of symptoms. Examples of this medication include Zyrtec or Claritin, which are non-sedating. These types of medications are meant to prevent your allergy symptoms. There are some that may not improve with this type of antihistamine, so a medical doctor may recommend Xolair to prevent any flare ups from occurring. Therapies Some may benefit from phototherapy, which is a therapy to treat certain skin disorders. Essentially, it thickens the wall of the skin to prevent water from getting underneath the skin. It also helps to reduce the allergy cell activity. Topical Treatments Some topical treatments or topical medications like petrolatum can be beneficial because they prevent water penetration into the skin. Hypothetically, if the medication could reduce water penetration, symptoms may be less likely to occur. 🩹 Coping Strategies If you suffer from chronic urticaria (regardless if it's aquagenic urticaria) and have a flare up you may find relief with the following suggestions: - If you have aquagenic uritcaria try to dry your skin as soon as possible after exposure - Wear loose clothing so that it doesn't rub on your hives - Prevent yourself from getting too cold or hot - Use calamine lotion or other anti-itch lotions Limit Exposure Of course, one of the easiest ways to minimize your symptoms is to limit your exposure to water. However, it is not reasonable to completely avoid water since it is necessary to maintain hygiene and consume water for hydration purposes. There are some simple ways to limit your exposure though. This may require you to shower less frequently or wear gloves when washing dishes for example. 📑 Conclusion Since this is a rare condition, there is not much research on aquagenic urticaria. There are certainly many diagnostic and management challenges with this allergy because it often has the same symptoms of other allergies. Not only that, but it is unclear what exactly causes this allergy and we also do not know if aquagenic urticaria ever resolves on its own. As mentioned, this is a very rare condition so it's very unlikely that you have this particular allergy. But, if you are experiencing any allergy-like symptoms mentioned in this article, be sure to consult with your medical doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Continue reading: - Tips for Managing and Preventing Uncontrollable Itching After Showering - Is Your Well Water to Blame? Investigating Its Effects on Skin Health and Itchy Rashes - The Top 5 Effects of Hard Water and How to Safeguard Your Skin ❔ Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Get Rid of Aquagenic Urticaria? It is unclear what causes aquagenic urticaria so therefore it is difficult to get rid of the condition. In fact, it is not known if this allergy resolves on its own or if it resolves at all. However, the allergy can be managed through antihistamine medications and different topical treatments. Can You Shower if You Have Aquagenic Urticaria? It would be unreasonable to avoid water altogether with this allergy. This is because it is essential for life and you do need to maintain hygiene. However, if you happen to have this very rare condition it would be recommended to limit your water exposure by avoiding where or when you can. For example, you may still shower but maybe you shower less frequently or for shorter periods of time. What Causes Aquagenic Hives? Currently, it is unclear what causes aquagenic urticaria. There are some hypotheses discussed in the article above, however a cause of the histamine release has not been identified yet. Read the full article

[chuckschmalzried]

Students Allergy To Water Means She Can Only Shower Twice A Month

Student’s Allergy To Water Means She Can Only Shower Twice A Month https://theheartysoul.com/girl-allergic-to-water-aquagenic-urticaria/ Chances are you or someone you know is affected by allergies. You can be allergic to just about anything – ragweed, grass, pollen, peanuts… you can even be allergic to the cold. But did you know that you can be allergic to water? That’s right – water.Tessa Hansen-Smith is a 21-year-old college student in California, […] The post Student’s Allergy To Water Means She Can Only Shower Twice A Month appeared first on The Hearty Soul. via The Hearty Soul https://theheartysoul.com/ January 01, 2024 at 10:29AM

#The Hearty Soul

[newsnation51]

What is Aquagenic Urticaria disease ?

Today we will discuss about a dangerous disease “Aquagenic Urticaria” a water allergically disorder with an example of Tessa Hansen Smith, a brave young lady coming from California, USA, Read More

#health & fitness #healthcare #health #breaking news #latest updates #latestnews #nutrition #fitness #allergies #food allergy #new your city #science #medicine #skin #skin disorders #skin doctor