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Original poster

To wonder if dd is allergic to water?

42 replies

havanagilahava · 10/05/2018 22:22

A few months ago, I noticed that my dd (aged 8) had quite a few large red blotches on her stomach, back and arms after getting out of the shower. Like a rash, only it faded after about half an hour.

I assumed she was setting the temperature of the shower too hot, and was getting herself too hot, but it's happening even when she has colder showers, and it happened over the weekend when she swam in a friend's unheated outside pool.

She is also increasingly complaining of her skin being really itchy after she gets wet. In the last few days, I've noticed that when she scratches her skin after getting out the shower, a lot of skin seems to rub away under her fingernails.

Does anyone have any experience of anything like this? Is water allergy a thing?

OP posts:
Torvi · 10/05/2018 22:27

Could it be eczema? Water is very drying

Fruitcorner123 · 10/05/2018 22:27

quick google says its possible but rare. somerhing called aquagenic urticaria Is it more likely to be shower gel or chlorine?

LiveLifeWithPassion · 10/05/2018 22:28

It's probably not an allergy but she could be reacting to something.
Have you looked at her shower soap? The pool would have had some chemicals in it too.
What happens if she showers with water only?

BarbarianMum · 10/05/2018 22:28

Yes it's a thing. I get hives on my trunk after a shower. Itchy but they go quickly. I use hypoallergenic soap and then only "strategically" which helps.

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 10/05/2018 22:29

Yes more likely eczema or some sort of dermatitis. Check your washing powder - I get horrible facial rashes when I stay with my mum because of the stuff she uses. It might be the towels causing it.

I’d go horses before zebras Wink but I just might have watched too much ER!

ElizaBenson · 10/05/2018 22:31

It can happen, cold water can make the itching worse so maybe try turning the temperature back up and see if she complains less about the itching

NotSureThisIsWhatIWant · 10/05/2018 22:33

Hard water dries the skin and make it itchy if you have eczema.

sleepylittlebunnies · 10/05/2018 22:40

DD used to have very bad eczema and it would always look very angry after a shower or swimming. Water is very drying, the extra redness would fade within an hour after. This was even though she was on prescription emollients. If it is eczema she could use an emulsifying cream as a barrier before going in water, wash in warm water with emollients, pat dry then apply cream within a couple of minutes so it’s absorbed quickly. DD’s eczema is so improved now she just washes with coconut oil.

Barbie222 · 10/05/2018 22:41

Yes water can really aggravate eczema but there's likely to be something at the root of it which is irritating the skin and removing the protective moisture layer, then the skin gets sore when wet and it's a vicious circle. I have it and so does my son - when it gets like that I give him piriteze morning and night as well as the steroids and emollients until it gets back to
Itself. Sometimes he needs a course of antibiotics if there are deep cracks in the skin :(

3kidsnomore · 10/05/2018 22:43

convinced my daughter has an allergy to water,it doesnt matter what soap/shower gel i use she always ends up with an itchy rash after a bath or shower which quickly disappears once she gets out

PurpleTraitor · 10/05/2018 22:48

All of those things happen to me in the shower or pool. I just thought it was normal. I’ve never considered myself allergic to water, it’s never affected my life or caused a problem.

Big red blotches across my chest, neck, torso, especially. I figure that’s what happens when you are essentially shedding tiny layers of skin/scrubbing at skin, hence the lots of skin coming off too. In the pool same blotchy stuff, but less scrubbing, obviously, just figured that prolonged immersion would cause a similar effect.

I don’t have eczema or any type of skin complaint.

fluffyblanket17 · 10/05/2018 22:50

My son is allergic to cold, so this kind of thing happens to him when he goes outside and it's cold, getting out of a pool or shower with the temperature drop. He gets hives allover any exposed skin. Could it be that?

megafatCEObaby · 10/05/2018 22:54

This happens to me and we live in a soft water area. It particularly happens on my forehead. My skin does feel tight after washing it also, I've always been this way though and it's never been a big deal.

tolerable · 10/05/2018 23:01

i live in scotland tho have found "english" water has this affect on my skin.(reasons are a bit scientific for my head..)

AlpacaLypse · 10/05/2018 23:04

Human skin is actually slightly more acidic than water. Your dd probably isn't allergic but probably is sensitive. A sensible GP or Practice Nurse may be able to make some suggestions, or talk to pharmacist about it.

Runningbutnotscared · 10/05/2018 23:13

I had this for a few years (aged 12-25 ish) turned out, after trying many things, an extra rinse before taking clothes out of the washing machine kept it in check.

I am Scottish so the water quality is good and soft, the type of washing powder didn’t make a difference.

Doesn’t bother me at all now.

PosyFossilsShoes · 10/05/2018 23:22

Yes, I get this. I've just got used to it, but my face, arms, and torso (sometimes also my legs) will be covered in slightly raised red blotches when I get out of water. I have no idea what causes it but I'm also sensitive to the sun, I get heat rash very easily. I've always assumed just sensitive skin.

NutButterNutter · 10/05/2018 23:27

My DD has this!! Or rather had... the doc suggested aqueous cream or e45 3-4 times a day but she found that it felt burny. The only thing that works is pure argan oil. It's not cheap but she put it on twice a day for a couple of weeks and it just stopped and now she applies it to her neck and face (it took longer to stop there) a couple of times a week to keep it at bay.
When she swims, it definitely tries to come back and she then puts it all over.
Hope you find what works for her Thanks

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 10/05/2018 23:30

DH had this.

Hive like spots all over after a shower, for half an hour or so. Not itchy though.

One day they just went away.

RedPandaMama · 10/05/2018 23:31

I have eczema and find when I go to visit my in laws their shower makes my stomach and face come out really red, hot and sore. I think it's because the water in their area is very hard and limescaley whereas where I'm from and live ours is very soft. I don't use any sort of products so it can't be that, and I can't think of anything else it could be.

user1486241726 · 10/05/2018 23:33

I have this!!! I have usually barely noticeable patches of dry skin on my arms and legs but when I am fresh out of the shower they are huge, bright red and so itchy. Then they just go back to normal about an hour later. I’ve spent years trying to work out what it is but I’ve never been able to

StaplesCorner · 10/05/2018 23:41

This is the sort of thing that Allergy UK helpline can give you advice on they're very good - FWIW my DD gets the same reaction:

www.allergyuk.org

Angharad07 · 10/05/2018 23:54

An allergy to water is impossible. The human body is 60% water! If she was allergic to water she wouldn’t be able to drink it either, surely? Maybe it’s a type of skin condition that reacts to water.

TuTru · 10/05/2018 23:57

Sounds like it’s eczema xx

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