A poor woman who is allergic to the winter says that she’s scared to go outdoors as she breaks out in painful hives when exposed to cold weather.
Chelsea Scutt suffers with cold urticaria, a reaction causing itchy hives, redness, and swelling on the skin after cold exposure, with potential for severe, life-threatening anaphylaxis.
The condition affects the 25-year-old every day during the winter months.
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She’s forced to stay indoors and when she does go out, she wears multiple layers and covers her skin completely.
Chelsea also takes antihistamines and nasal spray to help prevent hives and inflammation.
This year, she was housebound for three days due to the low temperatures.
“I dread winter,” Chelsea, of Portsmouth, told What’s the Jam.
“Over the years, I’ve had to come to terms with how much cold urticaria affects my life.
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“I have to be cautious because even a short period outside in low temperatures can trigger a severe reaction.
“It’s so painful, I go all red and itchy and I get a burning sensation in my throat, nose and eyes.
“My lips and eyes can swell, and even a cold drink can make my lips puff up noticeably.
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“I try to stay indoors as much as possible during colder months.
“It’s hard because I live alone so I just have to get by but sometimes my friend grabs things for me to save me going out.
“When I do go out, I layer up carefully, cover all exposed skin, and sometimes even consider wearing a ski mask to protect my face.
“Cold exposure triggers hives, which can be small or widespread depending on the intensity and duration.
“Being asthmatic makes these reactions feel more intense and uncomfortable, which makes being outside particularly challenging.
“Even indoors I can have reactions, though not as severe.
“I keep my heating on high but still react when my body temperature drops because of small things like getting out of the shower.”
The activist admits that this winter has been tougher than most because of the low temperatures.
She said: “I’m struggling with this winter.
“I feel like an ice cube most of the time.
“It’s a constant reminder of how much this condition affects my day-to-day life.
“I’m hopeful for warmer weather so I can be out and active without fearing the consequences.”
Chelsea was diagnosed at the age of 21 after she began experiencing severe, unexplained reactions on a daily basis.
“I’d never heard of cold urticaria.
“Knowing my diagnosis finally explained why I was experiencing such extreme reactions to the cold.
“It was a mix of relief and frustration.
“Relief, because I finally had an answer for what had been happening to me, but also frustration because I realised I would need to adapt my life significantly to prevent recurring reactions.
“At first, I didn’t take it seriously, but I’ve started to see the real impact it’s having on my daily life.
“Growing up, people were quite dismissive because I’d always complain about the cold and pain but now they’re supportive and remind me to wrap up.
“In some cases cold urticaria can lead to anaphylaxis, but thankfully I haven’t experienced this yet and I do not need to carry an epipen.”
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