- Kendall Chrisman, 23, from California, has aquagenic pruritus, a rare water allergy.
- First noticed symptoms at 13, with severe itching after showers.
- Condition worsened during college water polo training.
- Triggers include showers, rain, sweat, humidity, tears, and natural water bodies.
- Showers are the most painful, forcing her to adapt with shortened routines.
- Pools are less irritating due to chlorine, while salt water severely affects her eyes.
- No cure exists, but antihistamines provide some relief.
- Uses social media to spread awareness and continues pursuing aviation studies.
When Kendall Chrisman, a student and model from Riverside, California, first began experiencing extreme itching after showers at age 13, she thought it was just dry skin. No matter how much lotion she applied, the symptoms only got worse, especially when she joined her college water polo team.
Eventually, a dermatologist gave her the shocking diagnosis: Kendall is allergic to water. The condition, called aquagenic pruritus, is so rare that even her doctor’s nurse had never heard of it before.
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For Kendall, contact with water triggers a reaction that feels like hundreds of bee stings or prickly nettles crawling under her skin. It isn’t visible to others, but it leaves her in constant discomfort. Her whole body, apart from her hands and feet, is affected—rain, sweat, humidity, even her own tears can set off painful flare-ups.
Despite the condition, Kendall continued playing water polo, though it often meant leaving practice mid-session to calm her skin. Showers are the most brutal part of her routine, combining water, humidity, and heat all at once. She’s developed coping strategies, like quick in-and-out rinses, dry shaving, and separating her hair-washing into its own painstaking process.
Different types of water affect her in varying degrees. Chlorinated pools tend to be the least irritating, while salt water burns her eyes, and her own sweat is the hardest to avoid. To manage outdoor life, she wears rain suits during storms and chooses breathable clothing to reduce sweating.
Although there’s no cure, antihistamines like Benadryl sometimes help her sleep through the reactions. Kendall uses social media to raise awareness about the condition and hopes future research will bring better treatment options. In the meantime, she stays focused on her aviation studies, determined to live as normal and fulfilling a life as possible—even if that means keeping dry.
Source: NewsandVibes.com
