Overview
Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma (also called aquagenic keratoderma, aquagenic syringeal acrokeratoderma, or transient reactive papulotranslucent acrokeratoderma) is a rare skin condition that mainly affects the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. The most striking feature is that symptoms appear or get much worse after brief contact with water — even just a few minutes of exposure. When the skin on the palms or soles gets wet, it quickly becomes white, swollen, and wrinkled, and small bumps or pits may appear. Some people feel a burning, stinging, or itching sensation during or after water exposure. The skin usually returns to normal once it dries out. This condition is thought to happen because the sweat gland openings in the skin react abnormally to water, causing the outer layer of skin to swell up. It has been linked in some cases to cystic fibrosis or the carrier state for cystic fibrosis, and also to certain medications like aspirin or COX-2 inhibitors. It tends to affect women more often than men, and often starts in adolescence or early adulthood. There is no cure, but the condition can often be managed by limiting water exposure, using antiperspirants, applying aluminum chloride solutions, or adjusting medications if a drug trigger is identified. The condition is not life-threatening and does not damage internal organs, but it can significantly affect daily activities like washing dishes, swimming, or bathing.
Also known as:
Key symptoms:
Skin on the palms and/or soles turns white and swollen after water contactWrinkled or waterlogged appearance of the skin when wetSmall bumps, pits, or a cobblestone texture on wet skinBurning, stinging, or itching sensation when skin gets wetSymptoms appear within minutes of water exposureSkin returns to normal appearance once it driesExcessive sweating of the hands or feetSkin may feel tight or uncomfortable when wetSymptoms may worsen in warm or humid conditions
Clinical phenotype terms (12)— hover any for plain English
Variable
Can be inherited in different ways depending on the underlying gene
Variable
Can begin at different ages, from infancy through adulthood
FDA & Trial Timeline
1 eventData sourced from FDA regulatory filings and ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated periodically.
Treatments
No FDA-approved treatments are currently listed for Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma.
View clinical trials →Clinical Trials
View all trials with filters →No actively recruiting trials found for Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma at this time.
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Treatment Centers
8 centersBaylor College of Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🏥 NORDStanford Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Stanford Medicine
📍 Stanford, CA
🔬 UDNNIH Clinical Center Undiagnosed Diseases Program ↗
National Institutes of Health
📍 Bethesda, MD
🔬 UDNUCLA UDN Clinical Site ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
🔬 UDNBaylor College of Medicine UDN Clinical Site ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🔬 UDNHarvard/MGH UDN Clinical Site ↗
Massachusetts General Hospital
📍 Boston, MA
🏥 NORDMayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine ↗
Mayo Clinic
📍 Rochester, MN
👤 Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
🏥 NORDUCLA Rare Disease Day Program ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
Travel Grants
No travel grants are currently matched to Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma.
Community
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Start the conversation →Latest news about Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma
Disease timeline:
New recruiting trial: Aquagenic Wrinkling Prediction
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma
Caregiver Resources
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Mental Health Support
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Family & Caregiver Grants
Financial assistance programs specifically for caregivers of rare disease patients.
Social Security Disability
Learn how rare disease patients may qualify for SSDI/SSI benefits.
Questions for your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment
- Q1.Should I be tested for cystic fibrosis or the cystic fibrosis carrier state?,Could any of my current medications be causing or worsening my symptoms?,What is the best topical treatment to reduce my skin's reaction to water?,Are there any lifestyle changes beyond avoiding water that could help?,Is this condition likely to get better, worse, or stay the same over time?,Should other family members be evaluated or tested?,Are there any clinical trials or new treatments I should know about?
Common questions about Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma
What is Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma?
Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma (also called aquagenic keratoderma, aquagenic syringeal acrokeratoderma, or transient reactive papulotranslucent acrokeratoderma) is a rare skin condition that mainly affects the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. The most striking feature is that symptoms appear or get much worse after brief contact with water — even just a few minutes of exposure. When the skin on the palms or soles gets wet, it quickly becomes white, swollen, and wrinkled, and small bumps or pits may appear. Some people feel a burning, stinging, or itching sensation during or af
Which specialists treat Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma?
16 specialists and care centers treating Aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma are listed on UniteRare, sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov principal investigators, published research, and the NPPES NPI registry.