These are definitely the strangest things people are allergic to. They would make
everyday living uncomfortable and difficult.
Over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. The usual suspects for triggering allergies are pollen, pet dander and peanuts - but you can actually be allergic to just about anything.
These are seven of the strangest allergies ever documented.
WaterThis one would seem to be impossible since the human body is made up of about 60 percent water. BUT 40 people in the world have been diagnosed with
aquagenic urticaria. The allergy causes the skin to break out in hives when it comes in contact with H2O. A woman in Britain who suffers from it can only drink Diet Coke. (!?!)
Everything But WaterIt's so rare, there isn't even a name for it. But there are documented cases of children who have such bad allergies, water is the only thing they can safely consume.
Cold WeatherSome people develop hives if their skin is exposed to cold air, even for a few seconds. So going outside in cold would obviously cause a reaction, but so can walking through the frozen food aisle at the grocery store. And swimming in cold water can be deadly.
HeatPeople with heat allergies develop red, itchy, swollen skin and welts if they're exposed to temperatures above 109 degrees. Things like exercise, hot showers, saunas, heavy blankets, and spicy food can all cause a reaction.
Touch
It's called dermatographia. And in severe cases, even a slight brush against the person's skin creates an itchy, red rash. It's also called "skin writing disease" because words and designs can easily be scratched on the person's skin. And after a few minutes, it swells up and almost looks like it as branded there. Two to 5 percent of the population is thought to have at least a mild form of it.
Cell PhonesThe nickel in cell phones causes an allergic reaction in 2 percent of men and 17 percent of women. Dermatologists have seen an increase in "cell phone rashes," since many cell phone parts contain nickel.
Sex
This isn't an allergy to sex itself, but instead to what the guy produces at the crucial moment. It's called "human seminal plasma hypersensitivity." It's often mistaken for an STD, since it causes burning and itching down there.
For more from AJ in the Morning, go
here.
And for MORE of the MOST, go
here.
