Abigail Beck, from Tucson, Arizona, suffers from aquagenic urticaria, a rare medical condition with only about 100 cases reported worldwide. Doctors diagnosed her in 4/2022 after observing that tears caused a burning sensation on her face and showering resulted in hives.

Abigail states that basic activities like crying or drinking water cause burning, nausea, chest pain, and an increased heart rate. Since the onset of her condition, she has stopped drinking plain water, opting instead for rehydration tablets, energy drinks, and pure pomegranate juice.

Currently, Abigail no longer feels thirsty and has developed a dislike for the taste of plain water. The medical community is considering intravenous fluid therapy to provide her with long-term hydration.

Abigail Beck, 19, from Tucson, Arizona, USA, experiences vomiting and burning skin upon contact with water. *Photo: Kennedy News and Media*

The condition hinders all of the student's physical activities. Sweat or rain irritates her skin, forcing her to wear layers of protective clothing when outdoors. She also meticulously checks food labels to avoid water-containing ingredients. A few days ago, inadvertently consuming a sports drink led to stomach cramps, chest pain, and dizziness for 4 hours.

Abigail's allergy symptoms first appeared during puberty in 2019. Initially, her family suspected issues with their tap water or skincare products, before realizing the hives erupted after every shower. The student now showers once every two days, taking antihistamines and steroids beforehand. She quickly rinses, exits immediately, and dries herself to minimize skin contact with water.

The lack of medical information about this syndrome concerns her family. Doctors cannot yet assess the risk of mortality, even though Abigail has started experiencing unusual cardiovascular symptoms. Michael Beck, Abigail's father, is actively seeking safe hydration solutions to maintain his daughter's health.

Dermatologist Alison Ehrlich from the Foxhall Dermatology and Research Center in Washington classifies aquagenic urticaria as a type of physical urticaria. Rashes typically erupt 20-30 minutes after skin exposure to liquids, sweat, or tears. Currently, there is no definitive cure for this syndrome.

Minh Phuong (According to NyPost, Dailymail, Mirror)