Utah Teen Lives With Water Allergy

Utility operators work day in and day out to make tap water safe for their customers, but there is nothing they can do for a Utah teen who feels "tortured" every time she gets in the bathtub. 

Alexandra Allen, a 17-year-old from Mapleton, has been diagnosed with a rare water allergy, according to ABC News. "While on vacation with her family, she went swimming in a hotel pool and later that night woke up itching and covered in hives," the report said. 

"She said she assumed at first that she was allergic to chlorine or some other harsh chemical, so she avoided swimming pools. But she knew the problem was much larger when she broke out into hives after swimming in a lake known for having very clean water," the report continued.

Her condition is known as aquagenic urticarial. It is characterized by dry skin and a painful reaction when her skin or eyes come in contact with water. The disease is progressive, and Allen says that eventually the act of drinking water will be challenging for her. She was diagnosed by a dermatologist at age 15. 

"He brought in a few other doctors and they just sat around in awe," she said, per the report. Testing for the allergy meant soaking in a tub of water, which felt like being "tortured," she said. 

"Aquagenic urticarial is so rare that only about 50 cases have been described in medical literature, said Dr. Barney J. Kenet, a dermatologist with the Cornell Medical Center," the report said. 

"While not a true allergy, it causes severe allergy-like reactions, even after exposure to rain, snow, sweat or tears. It tends to affect women more than men and usually first appears during puberty," the report continued, citing a study in the Journal of Allergy Immunological. 

Little is known about the condition. One study in the same journal focused on the case of a 40-year-old white woman. She "developed acute diffuse urticaria, angioedema, lightheadedness, nausea, and abdominal pain 10 minutes after lying supine with 80% of her body submerged in bath water," the study said. 

"Aquagenic urticaria can be confirmed by the appearance of wheals at the site of challenge with a water compress at 358C and applied to the skin of the upper body for 30 minutes," according to another study in the same journal. 

There are some guesses about how this condition develops. "One theory is that the sweat glands within the skin produce a toxin that triggers the allergic response. Or it could be that antigens that cause the immune system to produce antibodies are absorbed in the skin after dissolving in water to trigger the allergic reaction," ABC News reported. 

Overall, though, the exact cause of this condition remains unknown, and there is little scientific research into the medical characteristics of the malady. But the practical implications of the disease are as clear as a glass of water: Allen, the Utah teen, must avoid liquids, which can be tough. 

"Obviously swimming is out. She has become a vegetarian to reduce the oils in her skin, avoids sweating and can only take two to three very short, cold showers a week, she said. Even humid climates can bring on a reaction, as she found out last year during a trip to Cambodia with a humanitarian aid group," the report said. 

Allen tries to look at the bright side. "At least I'm not allergic to dogs -- and it does get me out of doing the dishes," she said, per the report.