8 x the most remarkable allergies

In the meantime, I no longer bat an eye at people who have a gluten allergy or cannot tolerate regular milk. I also have a cow's milk allergy, so I have been drinking oat milk for years. I really couldn't live without milk in my coffee, so I am so glad these alternatives exist. However, there are also many allergies that are much more annoying, some even without medication. Below, I will share a few, and I wasn't even aware of the existence of some of them.

1. Sex

I'll start right away with the worst: being allergic to sex, or actually to sperm. There are women who are extremely sensitive to this, and that's why it's also called ‘human seminal plasma hypersensitivity’. Fortunately, it is a fairly rare allergy that mainly occurs in women between the ages of twenty and thirty. A sperm allergy means that you are allergic to a protein in sperm. You can find out if you are allergic to this protein through a blood test. What are the symptoms of this allergy? About thirty percent of women experience vaginal itching and a burning sensation. In seventy percent, the symptoms can be more severe; think of shortness of breath, itching, and swelling. Is there anything that can be done about this allergy? In many cases, condoms or antihistamines, such as hay fever pills, help. This varies from person to person; unfortunately, there is still no treatment specifically for this allergy.

2. Mobile phone

This allergy is of course totally inconvenient to have in today's world, but it may also be exacerbated by it. In recent years, dermatologists have been receiving more and more complaints about rashes caused by mobile phones. Symptoms include itching, pimples, and blisters on the ears and jaw. This is mainly an allergy to nickel, a metal often used in phones. By the way, more women than men suffer from this allergy because nickel is often found in earrings. The solution for that: wear real silver and gold. The solution for the mobile phone: wear earbuds while calling.

3. Sports

I'm giving you this handy trick because there really is an allergy to exercise, called exercise-induced anaphylaxis. With this condition, you experience symptoms due to the increase in your body temperature when you exercise intensely. This can lead to an allergic reaction that varies from itching and hives to asthma symptoms and even low blood pressure. Fortunately, this condition is also quite rare, and according to doctors, you can often prevent the symptoms by taking an antihistamine tablet before you exercise.

4. Water

Being allergic to water is hell on earth. Worldwide, there are only 35 people who suffer from this condition, called aquagenic urticaria. Because of this, there is very little known about the disease. According to former professor of dermatology Jan Bos, the most plausible cause of the allergic reaction is that water comes into contact with the sebum of the skin. This creates a substance that penetrates the skin and causes hives. The medication antihistamines can reduce the hives, but this does not work for everyone. In the worst case, you have to avoid the rain, take short showers, and sweat little. There are even people who have issues when they drink water because their throat swells up. A total nightmare.

5. Money

This allergy is again about a nickel allergy. People who are allergic to money are also allergic to mobile phones, belt buckles, buttons, batteries, magnets, and so on. The best advice for this allergy is to avoid contact with nickel through the skin. In the case of money, this is easy to solve because who carries cash these days?

6. Kissing

Of course, not the kissing itself, but the exchange of saliva can have deadly consequences for someone with certain food allergies, such as a peanut allergy. A study shows that with a fleeting kiss, just one milliliter of saliva transfer can be enough to trigger an allergic reaction. For people with a severe nut allergy: be alert. If you're on a date and the other person has eaten nuts, wait a few hours before kissing just to be safe, and preferably have a nut-free meal in between.

7. Toilet paper

There are people who are severely allergic to wood and therefore also to toilet paper. Quite intense, because how do you solve this? I've searched the internet for the perfect alternative, but I couldn't find anything. Hopefully, not too many people suffer from this extreme form of wood allergy.

8. Shoes

An allergy to shoes apparently occurs relatively often. People who suffer from this are most likely allergic to the materials used during the manufacturing process. Think of dyes or a certain type of glue, rubber, or plastic. This allergy manifests as eczema on the feet and is often accompanied by itching. What can you do about it? Buy hypoallergenic shoes. Well, I took a look at the offerings, and as a woman, it doesn't make you happy, I can tell you. A gap in the market, if you ask me.