A young woman who suffers from an extremely rare allergy to water says her life has been ruined by the condition, which leaves her ‘clawing’ at her skin after showering to ease the pain.
Loren Montefusco, 22, from South Carolina, suffers from a burning itch deep under her skin when she comes into contact with water, forcing her to avoid showering for as long as possible.
The University of North Carolina Wilmington student said she “claws” at her skin to cause herself pain to distract from the unbearable itching she experiences.
She first noticed her reaction to water when she was 12 years old and was diagnosed with aquagenic urticaria at age 19.
Since her diagnosis, Ms. Montefusco says her condition has worsened and her symptoms have become more severe.
Aquagenic urticaria, which has only been there reported about 100 times, hives form when a person’s skin comes into contact with water, such as in the shower and in the pool – and sometimes even from a person’s own sweat.
Loren Montefusco, 22, from South Carolina, first noticed her allergy to water, known as aquagenic urticaria, when she was about 12 years old
She suffers from a burning itch deep under her skin that can last for more than an hour whenever she comes into contact with water
Loren said she was clawing at her skin to cause herself more pain and distract from the unbearable itching
Ms. Montefusco says to avoid showering for as long as possible, and if she does eventually have to bathe, she does so as soon as possible to avoid prolonged exposure to water.
She added: ‘It was difficult to navigate as a young woman, and I felt disgusted that I didn’t try to shower, but luckily I found a group of other patients on social media who also refuse to shower. It makes me feel less dirty.
‘Dry shampoo is my best friend because the longer I stand in the shower washing my hair, the worse it gets.
“I’ve tried washing myself with a cloth and water, but it still takes water and causes an allergic reaction, so I have to use body wipes most of the time.”
Ms. Montefusco first experienced the painful symptoms when she entered puberty.
Although little is known about the rare condition, the scientific literature has suggested that its onset typically occurs during this crucial developmental period.
Usually her reaction starts with showering and bathing, but she said she also experiences the reaction after being in the ocean, hot tubs, swimming pools and from her own sweat.
The 22-year-old said the pain and itching are the worst things she has ever experienced, and showers as little as possible to avoid the symptoms.
She also avoids using body scrubs or shaving as these would further trigger her reaction.
As soon as she gets out of the shower, the student must quickly get fully dressed to avoid getting air on her skin, which also aggravates the pain.
Mrs Montefusco said: ‘It’s terrible. It feels as if the itching is deep beneath the surface of the skin.
‘I try my best not to itch, but I can’t help it. I claw at my skin to cause myself more pain so I don’t feel any irritation from the itching. I just have to ride it out.
“Nothing helps or stops it (and) it can last up to an hour.
“Nothing actually appears on the surface of my skin because it feels like it’s getting deep under my skin, but my body becomes red and irritated from the itching.”
The cause of the allergy is unclear, but it is believed that the condition may be due to an allergen or chemical in water – rather than water itself – triggering an immune response.
Most cases occur randomly and there is no family history of the condition.
Symptoms may include reddening of the skin, a burning or stinging sensation, welts or rash.
To diagnose the condition, doctors will perform a physical examination to see what symptoms a person has.
They may also perform a water challenge test, where they apply a room temperature water compress to a person’s chest for half an hour to elicit a response.
Due to the rarity of the condition, little is known about its best treatment, but some therapies include antihistamines, UV light treatments, steroids, barrier creams, and sodium bicarbonate baths.