Mom with extremely rare allergy reveals how taking a shower leaves her in ‘excruciating’ pain

A mom who is allergic to water says taking a shower or getting caught in the rain feels like someone has “taken a lighter to her body.”

Kendall Bryce, 25, has aquagenic urticaria, a rare condition which causes her skin to swell and break out in hives whenever she comes into contact with water. 

The mom of one, who is currently pregnant with her second child, says her life is “a daily struggle” as she suffers from “excruciating” pain whenever she tries to wash her hands or her body. 

She is also affected by rain water and very humid days, meaning her life is “dictated” by the weather, and even feels a “burning” sensation when she drinks water. 

Doctors have so far been unable to find any medication which works for Kendall, and so she has been forced to continue living her life in “excruciating” pain. 

She is speaking out now in the hope that someone somewhere will be able to provide her with a long-term solution.

“It really is a daily struggle. I can only have a bath or take a shower twice a week because of how excruciating the pain is, so I constantly worry I stink,” said Kendall from Durham, UK.

“My life is dictated by the weather as I have to avoid rain — and even hot humid days. I check the forecast every day and stay home if it’s raining or going to rain, but if I get caught out by surprise, my body reacts and it’s really painful. 

“I’ve never been able to give my one-year-old son a bath. My mom has to do it for me. And I even feel my throat burning when I drink water.” 

Kendall says the pain has escalated over the past few years, to the point where it becomes so bad that her body can go into shock. 

“When it started, it felt a bit like I was getting nettle stings all over my body. But now it feels like someone has taken a lighter to my body. It’s excruciating,” she said.

“I’ll be in agony for about half an hour after washing, but it feels like it’s two hours. I cry throughout. It’s actually so bad that my body can go into shock, so it’s dangerous. It means my mom has to sit with my son whenever I have a bath.”

Kendall first discovered her condition when she was 15 and started breaking out in hives whenever she took a bath. 

Initially, she could treat her symptoms with Piriton — but over the years, things deteriorated. 

“The GP didn’t have a clue what to do. It’s just such a rare condition, so not many people have it and not many people know about it,” The stay-at-home mom said.

Kendall was later referred to a dermatologist at the University Hospital of North Durham, who finally diagnosed her with aquagenic urticaria in 2021. However, she has still yet to find any medication that helps her condition. 

“They’ve tried lots of different medications but I kept reacting. I still haven’t found something that helps,” she said.

“At the moment, there are only so many things I can try as I’m pregnant. Once I give birth, we’ll try more. But the thing is, the doctors just don’t know what will help.” 

Kendall hopes that in sharing her story she might find someone who knows how to treat her. 

“I really hope an expert might get in touch and know what to do,” she said. “At the moment, it all feels quite degrading.

“I just want a normal life where I can go out in the rain, have a shower, and give my son a bath.”