Living with a Rare Water Allergy: One Woman's Journey

Imagine being allergic to something as essential as water. While it sounds inconceivable, water allergy is an extremely rare condition that has perplexed doctors and patients alike across the globe.

Two British women, Maxine Jones and Nia Solway, share the misfortune of living with this rare allergy. Maxine recalls the bizarre discovery a decade ago that flipped her world upside down. "I'm from Macclesfield in South Yorkshire," she says. "I started experiencing intense burning sensations every time I touched water. It got to the point where I felt like my skin was on fire and had to scratch it until it bled. It was an endless cycle of agony."

Initially, nobody believed her. The doctors couldn’t pinpoint the cause and, mistakenly thinking she had cancer, they subjected her to chemotherapy. "I was in constant pain while my medical condition deteriorated. They prescribed a pile of medications because they couldn’t figure out what was wrong."

Maxine endured a year of suffering, avoiding the rainy outdoors entirely. "After a year, doctors finally diagnosed me with a rare, severe water allergy. Only a handful of cases have been recorded worldwide, and the medical community knows little about it, let alone how to treat it."

Nia Solway, at 23, also describes the grueling ordeal of living with this allergy, known as 'Aquagenic Pruritus'. This rare skin condition arises from contact with water. 

Solway often shares her experiences on social media, detailing the challenges she faces each time she has to interact with water, something most take for granted like a simple shower. "For many, it's pleasurable, but for me, it's indescribable suffering that can last up to three hours post-shower. I endure pain, weakness, and fever across my entire body," she explains.