A British woman suffers from a rare allergy to her own sweat and tears, forcing her to suppress feelings of sadness and pain, as crying can cause her significant discomfort. Abi Plamer, 19, from Maidstone, Kent, develops a painful and irritating rash whenever water touches her skin. This rare condition compels her to avoid liquids at all costs, including being cautious about going out on rainy days and limiting her showers to no more than 10 minutes.
Abi can only go out in the rain while wearing a raincoat or carrying an umbrella, as she risks experiencing painful symptoms when raindrops contact her skin. In the event of a storm, she completely avoids going outside. Furthermore, Abi has an allergy to her own tears, which can cause itching and swelling in her eyes. Doctors initially thought she was allergic to shampoo or conditioner, but after switching to sensitive-skin cosmetics, she was later referred to a dermatologist in 2018.
After nine months, Abi underwent tests at a local hospital where a doctor diagnosed her with Aquagenic Urticaria, a rare condition that causes allergic reactions on the skin upon contact with water, regardless of its temperature. Abi told Jam Press, "I don’t have any problems when drinking water; the issue occurs only when water touches my skin, and when I shower, I have to be quick— the longer my skin is in contact with water, the more redness and itching I experience. Having this condition is somewhat bothersome, but there’s not much I can do; I’ve learned to live with it."
Abi also has an allergy to her own sweat, but she says the symptoms are not as severe as those associated with other water interactions. She also takes prescribed medications to make her life a little easier when dealing with water. Additionally, tanning and exercising regularly can help manage her symptoms, according to the British newspaper Mirror.
