Woman is allergic to her husband's and baby’s kisses

For most couples, a peck on the lips is a quick way to show affection. But for Kerrie Armitage, a kiss from husband Peter can trigger agonising hives.

The mother-of-three, from Leeds, suffers from the ultra-rare condition aquagenic urticaria – an allergy to water.

She was diagnosed two years ago after her skin erupted in agonising blisters when she got caught in a rain storm.

Now the 28-year-old has had to stop kissing her husband of four years, because the saliva on his lips can trigger a painful flare-up.

She said: 'Because Peter's lips are wet, the saliva can make me react. He's got to make sure his lips are dry before he gave me a kiss.’

Her condition means that external exposure to water is the main problem, rather than drinking liquid.

The situation has become so bad that hugging her children can trigger an episode, as their body heat makes her sweat - and she has trained herself not to cry.

However, she added an allergic reaction tended to depend on the circumstances.  

'For example, if Peter was to give me a kiss on a hot day when I'm flushed, I'd probably flare up, but maybe not if I was in a cool environment,' she said.

'It can be frustrating but he's really supportive.

'After years together, it's become normal. You learn how to get used it. But it can be bothersome.'

Mrs Armitage now faces a daiily battle to protect her skin from agonising flare-ups - and has also been forced to give up her job as a cleaner because she cannot not touch water.

Even hugging her children Katie, nine, Emily, two and four-year-old step-daughter Savannah, can become a nightmare as their body heat can trigger a reaction. 

'It affects every aspect of my day to day life,' she said. 

'I have to choose between doing the washing up and bathing my kids. My hands can't take them both – it's too painful.'

She added: 'When I've got my children sat on me giving me a cuddle their body heat can cause me to sweat and have a reaction.

'Even tears can trigger the hives. I've had to train myself not to cry.

'I've learned not to get too angry or frustrated, as this can make my body flush and cause me to sweat, which can be very painful.'

Due to her condition, Mrs Armitage must ensure she bathes in under 10 minutes to try and minimise the allergic reaction.

'I've found the closer the water is to body temperature the faster I react, so I have really hot baths to try lessen the reaction,'she siad.

'I also  don't drink cold water - it feels quite sharp at the back of my throat - so I stick to coffee.'

Mrs Armitage, who has to keep antihistamines and an EpiPen with her at all times, also suffers from exercise-induced anaphylaxis.

Previously a size eight, with a keen interest in fitness, the exercise allergy combined with side effects of her medication have seen her expand to a size 14.

She discovered this second allergy just months after her urticaria diagnosis after playing on a Nintendo Wii Fit game at home.

'It was completely out of the blue,' she said. 'I couldn't breathe, I was on the floor struggling to get air into my lungs.

'Thankfully, I stopped the exercising straight away and my breathing slowed, but I was left feeling quite sick for a few days afterwards.'

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