A teenage girl has been diagnosed with an extremely rare condition which makes her allergic to her own tears. Lindsey Coubray, aged 19, suffers from aquagenic urticaria, which affects just one in 230 million people worldwide. She breaks out in severely itchy hives whenever she comes into contact with water - stopping her from showering or swimming. Lindsey suffers excruciating pain if she is caught out in a rain shower and the reaction is even triggered by her own sweat and tears. The office worker said: “People often wonder how I can be allergic to something that makes up 70 per cent of my body.
“There is often a sense of disbelief, followed by questioning how this is even possible.“Whenever I have a shower, as well as sneezing, I am covered from head to toe in an itchy rash which looks and feels like nettle rash, my nose burns and my eyes become bloodshot and swollen.“Warm weather is a particular challenge because I get hot, sweat and then end up with an intensely itchy rash all over my back, arms, head and chest.“If I get caught out in the rain, my skin gets very itchy and feels like it’s burning.”Lindsey, who had always sneezed while washing herself, was diagnosed two years ago after her symptoms worsened. She has to take strong antihistamines and asthma medication before taking a shower. She also relies on drinking milk because water leaves her feeling nauseous and creates mouth sores. She said: “Sometimes if it has just stopped raining and I go outside, I can find myself feeling breathless.”Lindsey is hoping to raise awareness of the condition and has set up an Instagram account ‘aquagenic.urticaria’ to try and help other sufferers.
