21-YEAR-OLD Abbie lives with aquagenic urticaria - a rare condition that means she is allergic to water. When her skin comes into contact with water for too long, it breaks out into "red, itchy hives", which have often been so painful that Abbie has wanted to "scratch my skin off." She first noticed symptoms when she was 16 and without knowing what she was dealing with, Abbie's mum, Amanda, was concerned: "I was worried because I didn't know what it was. As a parent you always worry if something's not quite right." After months of doctors' appointments and testing, Abbie finally received a diagnosis and learned that there is no cure. Since then, she has been on a steep learning curve and will often receive questions about how she washes and whether she is able to drink. As the condition only affects her external skin, she limits showers to a maximum of 10 minutes, takes four antihistamines a day to calm her flare-ups and always takes an umbrella when she leaves the house. Abbie's friend, Amy, remembers learning of her friend's condition and thinking "how can you be allergic to water?" but has since witnessed how "she deals with her condition very well - I don't know many people who would be able to handle it as well as you do." Abbie's secret? "I've just tried to have a positive outlook on the condition and the situation because I don't really want it to get me down."

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