'I'm allergic to water': Australian woman tells of struggle with unusual allergy
An Australian woman is so allergic to water her own sweat can cause her to break out in a nasty rash.
Katherine McKinnon, 41, was diagnosed with the rare condition aquagenic uriticaria in 2015.
The mum of three who lives in southern New South Wales with her partner and three children can’t do household chores such as washing dishes because it can cause redness, itching, pain and hives.
At some times the condition even leaves her housebound because she can’t go outside in the rain or swim.
Even on hot days she is forced to stay indoors as her own sweat can cause a painful breakout.
Fortunately she sees the brighter side of her condition joking that she’s ‘allergic to housework’.
For Katherine even taking a shower can be a problem, any longer than four minutes under running water will leave her with a large rash the colour of ‘beetroot’.
She first noticed something was wrong when she took baths as a child.
Being in water would make her skin burn to the point where she would scrub her body clean in the sink to avoid pain.
Despite seeing a number of doctors not much has helped the condition.
Fortunately she’s able to drink water without problems.
