The Mysterious Case of Sweating Blood: An Italian Woman's Tale

No one particularly enjoys the feeling of sweat dripping down their face. But here's something far worse than regular hyperhidrosis: sweat composed of blood droplets.

A medical article published this week recounts the story of a 21-year-old woman who arrived at an Italian hospital. She was experiencing the discharge of a bloody fluid from her face and palms, despite having no injuries. She told doctors that for the past three years, she had frequently suffered from episodes of 'bloody sweating,' especially during stressful times. After extensive tests, the doctors concluded that the young woman suffers from hematohidrosis, an extremely rare condition where blood oozes from healthy and uninjured skin.

Reports of this condition have been noted for centuries, though some doctors have been skeptical of its existence. However, the expert who wrote the commentary accompanying the article on the Italian woman's rare case says she reviewed descriptions of 28 reported cases in the last 13 years and concluded that this condition indeed exists. In fact, she notes, credible medical descriptions of it can be found in the writings of Aristotle.

The causes of bloody sweating are not well understood. Some researchers speculate that increased pressure in blood vessels leads to blood cells passing through sweat glands. Another hypothesis suggests that stress causes the rupture of small blood vessels, resulting in the red sweat.

In the Italian patient's case, her doctors treated her with medication to lower blood pressure, which significantly reduced the bleeding. Additionally, she required antidepressants to cope with the depression she developed due to her unusual sweating condition.