British man thought he was allergic to his wife

A British man who thought he was allergic to his wife has been diagnosed with an allergy to polyethylene glycol, an ingredient regularly used in body lotions and other common creams. Darren Young, a 45 year old man from South Yorkshire thought he might have been allergic to his wife, as his face swells up and he comes out in a rash when he goes near her.

Mr Young says that he cannot touch his wife Sue until she is clean of all creams, he said: “When it comes to bedtime Sue doesn’t need a headache as an excuse. She just says she has been using body lotion and it might kill me.”

Adding that, “It’s not just Sue – I can get a reaction if I go into a pub or a restaurant where a woman has been sitting. The doctors don’t really know why it has suddenly happened.”

Doctors have no explanation why Mr Young has contracted his allergy, but it was discovered when he was given an injection to treat a foot problem. Mr Young’s face swelled up and his heart stopped and he needed to be resuscitated; he now carries medication with him at all times, but still has to be careful of what he comes into contact with.

UK UK News