At first, Kendall Chrisman thought she just had dry skin. The Riverside, California native, then only 13, would step out of the shower covered in an unbearable itch, slather on moisturizers, and wonder why nothing helped. Over time, though, the irritation became so intense — spreading from her legs to her upper body — that she realized something else was wrong.
Aquagenic Pruritus Sounds Terrible
Jul 27, 2024; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Water droplets sit on a woman’s skin as she sits on the edge of the pool at the Eldorado Aquatic and Fitness Center in Scottsdale on July 27, 2024.
After years of confusion, the diagnosis finally came: aquagenic pruritus, an extremely rare condition where contact with water triggers burning, stinging sensations under the skin. For Kendall, now 20, the reaction is so severe that it extends not just to showers, rain, and pools, but even to her own bodily fluids: sweat, tears, urine. Her first reaction to the doctor’s words was disbelief. “Are you serious? Like, are you for real?” she remembered thinking. Even the nurse in the room looked stunned. Few people — even medical professionals — have heard of the condition, which the Cleveland Clinic describes as causing intense itching whenever water touches the skin.
Pins and Needles
A woman sitting crossed legged, Sept. 25, 2021.
For Kendall, the sensations range from the pins-and-needles tingle of a limb falling asleep to what she says feels like being stung by bees or rubbed with nettles. To the outside world, nothing looks amiss. “Other people can’t tell I’m having an allergic reaction,” she said. “But to me, it feels like I’m going insane.” That invisibility makes the daily management even more grueling. Rainstorms mean staying inside unless she can suit up in a full waterproof outfit, face covering and all. Humidity alone can bring on the itch. Sweat is perhaps the cruelest trigger, since it’s unavoidable. Even sitting with her legs crossed too long can generate enough warmth to set her skin off.
Her Shower is a Torture Chamber
The master bathroom shower has 12 sources of water including a rainhead and many side sprayers. There are no faucet handles. Instead everything from water flow to temperature is controlled by little computer screens. The computers also control the music from the speakers in the shower. Waterfall House 44
Showering, though, is the worst. The water, the humidity, the heat — all at once. Kendall has learned to keep her showers as quick as possible, sometimes separating out the steps and washing her long hair on its own. “I try not to cry if it gets too painful,” she said, half-joking. Tears would just add another layer of reaction.
She’s Not Letting Her Allergy Stop Her
Aug 10, 2024; Nanterre, France; Spain driver Elena Ruiz Barril (7) is defended by Australia driver Alice Williams (10) in the women’s water polo gold medal match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Paris La Defense Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
What’s surprising is that Kendall never gave up sports. In college, she stuck with her water polo team despite the agony. “I was already committed to it,” she explained. “Whether or not I’m allergic to water, I was going to finish it out.” At times she had to step out mid-practice, begging her coach for a break just to cool down her skin. There’s no cure, and treatments like antihistamines only offer occasional relief. Sometimes she takes Benadryl before a shower, not because it eases the symptoms but because it knocks her out, allowing her to sleep through the aftermath.
She Won’t Let Her Allergy Keep Her Down
Small waves break in Ortley Beach. Preparations for the northern Ocean County beach replenishment project have begun in Seaside Heights. The $73.5-million project includes dredging and placing 2.1 million cubic yards of sand onto the beaches from the Manasquan to Barnegat inlets. Ortley Beach, NJ Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Through it all, Kendall has kept a sense of humor and a measure of hope. On social media, she talks candidly about her condition, answering questions from the thousands who stumble on her videos. She wants to raise awareness, but also to remind others that she’s more than her diagnosis. She’s studying aviation and building a career in modeling, determined to live as normal a life as possible. She knows her case is extraordinary, but she isn’t giving up. “I was always a water baby,” she said, remembering long days when her parents had to drag her out of the pool. “I try not to lose sight of that. I still hope one day I can live a normal life again.”
