# Allergic to water? Wha...? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 24, 2004, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854 "2004-02-24T07:59:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Souless\_slicer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Souless\_slicer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Souless_slicer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/1 "2004-02-24T07:59:17Z")
How can someone be allergic to water, are we not 97 percent water? what is it in the water that makes them allergic, are they ok with distilled water? Is it possible they are allergic to hydrogen? thanks for any anwsers. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/2 "2004-02-24T08:00:55Z")
> [@Souless\_slicer](#): > > How can someone be allergic to water, are we not 97 percent water? what is it in the water that makes them allergic, are they ok with distilled water? Is it possible they are allergic to hydrogen? > > thanks for any anwsers. \ ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/3 "2004-02-24T08:03:18Z")
Looks like you answered your own question. ---
**Author:** ![Reader99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df788c/32.png) [@Reader99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reader99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/4 "2004-02-24T08:09:48Z")
> **[Hives: Common Rash With Many Possible Causes](https://www.verywellhealth.com/urticaria-overview-1068810)** > > Urticaria (hives) is a raised, red rash caused by allergy, stress, or irritants. Reviewed by a board-certified internal medicine physician. [http://allergy.edoc.com/1998\_archives/pdf/jun\_98/483.pdf](http://allergy.edoc.com/1998_archives/pdf/jun_98/483.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Eurograff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Eurograff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eurograff)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/5 "2004-02-24T08:36:25Z")
> [@Souless\_slicer](#): > > are we not 97 percent water? No, more like 70 percent. You’re confusing us with cucumbers. Interesting question still, didn’t know that this kind of allergy is possible. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/6 "2004-02-24T08:40:12Z")
Gotta go with something in the water. Unless you get your water from a water table, it’s been processed at some point. Are you or someone you know allergic to tap water? ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/7 "2004-02-24T10:41:31Z")
I think you might be thinking of hydro/hydor?phobia. It’s the only phobia that is actually physical. It is caused by a disease and renders a person unable to swallow. That’s from memory… if that’s what you’re thinking of, then you know what to do. I personally read that in Isaac Asimov’s Giant Book Of Facts. ---
**Author:** ![Reader99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df788c/32.png) [@Reader99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reader99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/8 "2004-02-24T10:52:53Z")
hydrophobia is an older term for rabies, and may also refer to a fear of water: > **[Hydrophobia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrophobia)** > > Hydrophobia or hydrophobe may refer to: sounds like allergy to water is rare but real: > **[Hives: Common Rash With Many Possible Causes](https://www.verywellhealth.com/urticaria-overview-1068810)** > > Urticaria (hives) is a raised, red rash caused by allergy, stress, or irritants. Reviewed by a board-certified internal medicine physician. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/9 "2004-02-24T11:08:36Z")
I’m allergic to something _in_ the local tap water here in Hooterville. No matter how hard I try to tell myself that it’s all in my imagination, it doesn’t help. Usually after about a week of drinking unfiltered tap water, I start to break out something terrible. I have never had this reaction to tap water from other parts of the country, just here in Hooterville. I have to always drink bottled water or filtered water. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/10 "2004-02-24T13:15:44Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Gotta go with something in the water. Unless you get your water from a water table, it’s been processed at some point. > > Are you or someone you know allergic to tap water? Amongst the two cites above your post, the first one mention that the patient isn’t allergic to distilled water, but the second one state that this other patient is also allergic to distilled water (when applied on the skin, not when he swallows it). ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/11 "2004-02-24T13:51:46Z")
Apparently this girl is allergic to water, I don’t know how reliable the source is, however: [http://extratv.warnerbros.com/reframe.html?http://extratv.warnerbros.com/dailynews/rxtra/01\_01/01\_06d.html](http://extratv.warnerbros.com/reframe.html?http://extratv.warnerbros.com/dailynews/rxtra/01_01/01_06d.html) ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/12 "2004-02-24T13:54:17Z")
> [@Reader99](#): > > sounds like allergy to water is rare but real: > [Urticaria (Hives): Overview and More](http://dermatology.about.com/cs/hives/a/waterurt.htm) Hold on a second - your link says: > [@](#): > > Water urticaria, or aquagenic urticaria, is a rare condition in which hives develop within 1 to 15 minutes after contact with water…Most investigators believe that this condition is actually exquisite skin sensitivity to additives in the water such as chlorine. > … > Water urticaria is treated with a cream called **capsaicin** (Zostrix) that is applied to the irritated skin. This is the same treatment used for shingles. (bolding mine) Capsaicin?! Is [this](http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/pepper/2002075348029538.html) the same stuff?! The treatment for extremely sensitive skin is coating the body in Tabasco?? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/13 "2004-02-24T16:31:39Z")
**Beelzebubba** : Indeed. Capsaicin is an irritant, which is why it tastes so painful and why people who handle chilis often need to wear gloves, lest they permanently damage their skin. Getting capsaicin in your eyes is a serious hazard, but rubbing it on afflicted skin can provide real relief from pain. A lot of home remedies involve basically rubbing capsaicin on what hurts the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/14 "2004-02-24T18:22:37Z")
The amount of capsaicin in Zostrix and similar medications is 0.025% - 0.075%, corresponding to about 4,000 - 12,000 Scoville heat units, making them about as hot as a jalapeño (or maybe a serrano). ---
**Author:** ![Spezza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Spezza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spezza)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/15 "2004-02-24T18:38:05Z")
I have been attempting to convince doctors for four years that I’m allergic to water; without any success. I have been a part-time dishwasher since 97 and got a terrible chemical burn from the dishmachine in 2000. Ever since I have not been able to place my hands in water without painful results. For example, if I take a two minute shower my hands come out like if someone had sat in a hot tub for an hour, not to mention they burn and itch demanding lotion immediately. Even running my hands under a faucet results in pruning of my fingers. Doctors continually dismiss it as sensitive skin or other unless predictions and I am forced to continue funding my university education on the sacrifice of my hands (I have worn these monster green gloves to wash dishes for the last 3 years, minimizing the damage). And no, I cannot quit my job because I earn too much; about double any other job I could conceivably get. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/16 "2004-02-24T18:40:29Z")
I don’t know if it’s accurate to describe Mrs. Kunilou as allergic, but water is definitely not friendly to her skin. She does not swim, does not take baths, takes only very quick showers and dries thoroughly and rubs lotion all over herself immediately afterwards.Even with those precautions, it’s always possible for her eczema to flare up. However, oatmeal baths do seem to alleviate the problem somewhat. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergic-to-water-wha/230854/17 "2004-02-24T20:17:28Z")
Wasn’t that a condition caused by[Transwarp Evolutionary Syndrome](http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/science/article/69343.html)?