Chef is allergic to water

Andy Laughton has been forced to wash his hands of his job as a chef after discovering he is allergic to water.

Mr Laughton started getting itchy hands whenever he was working and soon the itching broke into hives.

The five-star hotel chef started using latex gloves - only to discover he was also allergic to the lanoline and nickel used in their manufacture.



After a battery of hospital tests, the 39-year-old was diagnosed with the rare condition aquagenic urticaria. So, after 23 years in the kitchen, he has hung up his apron for good.

'It felt like I couldn't win. I was using the latex gloves because the hives would break out whenever I was in contact with water,' said Mr Laughton, of Horsham, West Sussex. 'But to then find out I couldn't use them left me with a problem. I even used to wrap sticking plasters all across my hands and then put the latex gloves on top.'

Mr Laughton said he was allergic to water on his hands only and could have baths and showers as long as he kept his hands dry.