A woman from Durham, UK, has opened up about her distressing experience of ‘crying in agony’ every time she bathes or is caught in the rain due to a rare skin condition.
Kendall Bryce, age 25, likens the feeling of water touching her skin to someone ‘taking a lighter to her body’.
Suffering from aquagenic urticaria—a condition that began affecting her at age 15—Kendall experiences swelling and painful hives whenever water makes contact with her skin.
This condition is recognized as ‘a rare form of physical urticaria where hives develop after contact with water, irrespective of temperature,’ and affects fewer than 250 people worldwide.
Currently pregnant with her second child, Kendall describes her life as ‘a daily struggle,’ facing ‘excruciating’ pain from simple activities like showering or washing her hands.
Even drinking water causes a ‘burning’ sensation, and unpredictable weather conditions like rain and humidity force her to meticulously plan her day.
Despite consulting medical professionals, a cure or effective treatment has yet to be found.
Kendall stated: “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.”
She avoids going outside when rain is predicted, but sometimes she gets unexpectedly caught, leading to a painful reaction.
“I’ve never been able to give my one-year-old son a bath,” Kendall also shared. “My mum has to do it for me.”
Reflecting on her symptoms, Kendall mentioned that it first started 10 years ago during a bath, feeling similar to a nettle sting all over her body.
Initially manageable with antihistamines, her condition has deteriorated, now causing a burning sensation.
“I’ll be in agony for about half an hour after washing – but it feels like two hours. I cry throughout. It’s actually so bad that my body can go into shock – so it’s dangerous,” she explained.
Kendall is not alone in sharing her story; Tessa Hansen-Smith also suffers from the condition, experiencing such severe pain in the shower that she faints, and has turned to drinking milk to avoid dehydration.
Medical professionals have found themselves baffled by the rare condition.
“The GP didn’t have a clue what to do,” Kendall, a stay-at-home mom, explained. “Not many people have it and not many people know about it.”
She was diagnosed in 2021 after seeing a dermatologist, but treatment remains elusive.
“They’ve tried lots of different medications but I kept reacting. I still haven’t found something that helps,” she mentioned.
“There are only so many things I can try while pregnant, but we’ll explore more options after I give birth.”
Kendall hopes that by sharing her story, she might connect with someone who can offer a solution.
“I really hope an expert might get in touch and know what to do,” she expressed.
“At the moment, it all feels quite degrading,” she added.
“I just want a normal life where I can go out in the rain, have a shower and give my son a bath.”