Although water is an essential part of our lives, for one Utah teen, it’s become an enemy.
17-year-old Alexandra Allen, who is allergic to water, could suffer internal bleeding and be hospitalized for painful joints and an inability to breathe if she stays in contact with water much longer than a few minutes, according to the NY Daily News.
Allen has described the pain she experiences when she’s in contact with water to being dipped in a burning “vat of acid.”
“It feels like your skin has been sandpapered down until there’s only one layer left and it itches, but you can’t itch it or it will break and burn and bleed,” Allen explained to Deseret News.
The Utah teen, who is one of about 50 known people in the world to be diagnosed with aquagenic urticaria, a condition that causes an allergic reaction when water touches the skin, had her first aversion to water when she was about 12 years old, according to Fox News. After swimming in a hotel pool, Allen reportedly woke up to burning itchiness and hives.
Allen is reportedly only able to take two or three brief showers per week and has to avoid sweating as much as possible. Even a small amount of sweat can reportedly trigger symptoms that can last from three hours to seven days, according to the Utah publication.
“It’s not worth it anymore,” stated Allen.
She continued, “It’s both emotionally strenuous and physically painful. I can’t let myself go there.”
Allen’s diagnosis has changed her life. The teenager has reportedly become a vegetarian to reduce oils in her skin and has stayed away from swimming pools as well as most water-related activities.
Aquagenic urticaria is reportedly most common among women and has usually affected people after they go through puberty or several years after.
Even though being allergic to water is incredibly uncomfortable and painful, Allen has reportedly called the disease “tolerable.”
“At least I’m not allergic to dogs,” Allen told ABC News.
She continued, “And it does get me out of doing the dishes.”
