Swimmer's Issue: Allergy to Cold Water?

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 PDT

I've been swimming a lot lately and after a workout last week, one of the other ladies was asking me about where I got my bathing suit. I couldn't help but notice her skin. I said, "I'm no doctor, but I think you've broken out in hives." She just laughed and said that it always happens when she swims in cold water. I couldn't believed she was so nonchalant about it, since her body looked like a range of moguls on a Black Diamond ski trail. She said it doesn't hurt and always goes away, so she thought it wasn't a big deal.

When I went home, I couldn't get that image of her hive-covered skin out of my mind, so I decided to do a little Internet research. In the medical world, this condition is called physical urticaria. To see the risks it poses,

read more. When a person has this condition, there's a physical trigger that causes raised skin welts like what you see in the photo above. It could be set off by heat, cold, sunlight, exercise, or water. More specifically, cold uticaria is an allergic reaction, where the skin produces histamine in response to cold temps, in this case to cold water. Apparently it's pretty common for 18 to 25 year olds, but it only lasts for five to six years. The woman at the gym said that her rash is pretty mild and usually goes away after an hour or two. Reactions can be more serious though causing shortness of breath, stomach pains, or a rapid heartbeat. In severe cases, low blood pressure, fainting, shock, or even death can occur. I always thought swimming was so good for people. I had no idea it could be such a health risk. Have you or someone you know ever experienced anything like this?

Spring Danger: First Exposure to Sun

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:30:01 PDT

I'm definitely feeling Spring fever now that the snow around me is melting and the temperatures are reaching in the 50s. It's inspiring me to exercise outdoors and take walks on my lunch break. If Spring is calling you outside as well, I need to act like a mom here for a sec and tell you to be careful of the sun's rays. In the Winter months, most of us have our skin covered by coats and mittens, and our face is probably the only thing exposed. Hopefully, you've already been wearing a daily moisturizer that contains SPF protection, but when you step out into the Spring sunshine for the first time in less clothing, your skin isn't used to the sun's strong rays. That can spell danger for anyone, especially those with pale or sensitive skin. Sunburn isn't the only thing you need to worry about, so keep reading