Meet the Woman Allergic to Water: A 12-Year Journey Without a Shower

Here's another reason to be grateful for what we have: Back in 2003, Nicky Hurst was diagnosed with an allergy to... water, and since then, not a single drop has touched her skin. So how does she stay clean? Good question, though the answer isn't as satisfying: wet wipes. That's something you can get used to. But what about drinking water when she's thirsty? It's the most readily available drink in the world. 

Nicky Hurst

The last time Hurst dared to drink water, she endured excruciating pain in the form of stinging and aches all over her body. "It's a one in five million case," said one of her doctors, "where the immune system 'attacks' the skin when it comes into contact with water." 

For her, simple daily tasks like washing hands or mopping the floor with water become real nightmares. "When my hands get dirty and I really need to use water, I just put on rubber gloves and scrub. The problem is that even then, if there's too much moisture, the stinging spreads to my heart," she says. 

Currently, Nicky is being treated at a blood health unit in England and is participating in research at Oxford University, aiming to find a treatment that might alleviate the severe symptoms of her allergy. "I am grateful for the treatment I receive and thank the entire team that strives to help me. It's the only thing that gives me relief," she said, adding that she hopes the research and treatment will allow her to regain her 'normal' life.