MEET A KNOWN ENEMY OF WATER

It is said that water has no enemy but i think she is against some 35 people in the world if the drowned victims are not considered.
Meet the woman who is trapped indoors every time it rains due to a rare condition that means she’s allergic to water.
Rachel Prince, 26, from Ripley in England has been unable to go outdoors the past month as a single drop of rainfall will cause a painful itchy red rash.
Recent weather conditions — some of the wettest to hit the UK in 200 years — have seen Rachel housebound.
And she can’t even seek comfort from her fiance Lee Warwick, 28, because the saliva from a kiss also causes a reaction.
Rachel’s condition, Aquagenic pruritis, means even a few drops of saliva from Lee could bring out an extremely itchy prickling-like rash.
The allergy also means that 26-year-old Rachel cannot go for long baths or even drink a cold glass of water as it makes her throat swell up whenever she takes a sip.
The condition is so rare it’s believed Rachel is one of only about 35 people in the world who suffer from it.
Rachel, who is an artist, said: “I never go out without checking the weather and because of the recent amount of rainfall we’ve had, I’ve been indoors a lot which I hate".
“A single drop of rainfall can give me a painful allergic reaction that can last a few hours" rachael lamented.
She said “I always go out with a coat that has a big hood on it, as well as an umbrella, just in case it does suddenly rain".
“I’ve been staying in a lot lately which is so boring and depressing as I want to go out but I just can’t — it’s not worth the risk" said racheal. “It’s so painful and red, I’ve experienced people staring at me when an allergic reaction happens in a public place.”
Rachel first noticed the allergy aged 12 and as she became older the rash worsened, making it almost impossible for Rachel to be in contact with water without experiencing pain.
She said: “The rash makes me feel as though my skin is on fire and it itches as though I have a nettle rash.
“I find it hard to drink anything too cold as it really hurts my throat and makes it feel uncomfortable and as though it’s going to close.
“For some reason juice and tea are easier to drink but I don’t know why as they have water in too.
“Because my condition is so rare no one has ever heard of it, some doctors have also refused to believe I’m suffering from an allergy to water because it’s that rare.
“I’m even allergic to sweat and tears — including my own blood when it gets in contact with my skin.
“I used to love going swimming when I was younger but I can’t do that anymore, I’d love nothing more than being able to paddle my feet in the sea.”
Despite Rachel’s painful condition, she has managed to adapt to daily life with her partner Lee and says that the allergy even has some positives.
She said: “It’s not all bad as it does get me out of doing any washing up as if water touched my hands for a long period of time I would be in a lot of pain.”
Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists said: “ We do not know exactly how many people are allergic to water but it is extremely rare.
“The skin becomes itchy at the site of contact with water of any temperature, usually on the upper part of the body.
“It develops within 30 minutes of exposure to water and can be caused by both hot and cold water.
“There is no known cure as yet, and the precise causes remain unclear.
“Aquagenic might be associated with elevated blood histamine levels, but there are other processes at work and we do not yet fully understand the precise mechanisms that trigger the itchy rash.
“If you suffer this sort of reaction, you need to see a dermatologist.
“As the disorder is very rare, there may be other reasons for your symptoms — for example an allergy to a bathing product, so accurate diagnosis is the first step.
“Your dermatologist will look at possible treatment options for your case, which include creams applied topically to the skin.”

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