A woman has a rare health condition that means that kissing someone could end her life.
An innocent kiss in a nightclub or bar is perfectly common for a lot of people, but it could prove fatal for Caroline Cray Quinn.
The 25-year-old, who is from Boston, suffers from a condition known as mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), an immune disease that causes her cells to incorrectly identify things as severe allergens.
The condition is extremely rare, affecting about one in 150,000 people - and for Caroline it brings daily struggles.
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Food is arguably the biggest issue, with Caroline living off just oats and hypoallergenic formula, as any other foods could cause life-threatening symptoms such as breathing struggles, swelling and loss of consciousness.
MCAS has also impacted her dating life, with Caroline having to adopt strict rules for people looking to lock lips with her.
The Boston native told Need To Know: "In order for someone to kiss me, they cannot eat anything three hours prior.
"They also cannot eat any of my six main anaphylactic allergens - peanuts, nuts, sesame, mustard, seafood or kiwi - 24 hours prior to kissing me. And they have to brush their teeth before kissing me."
Following her diagnosis, Caroline's MCAS specialist informed her of the three 'prerequisites' for dates to follow before being able to kiss.
Thankfully, Caroline hasn't been involved in any major incidents.
"It has pretty much been smooth sailing with those rules, but I’ve had a handful of minor reactions while kissing somebody or after kissing somebody," she explained.
"My mouth will get itchy, my lips and my tongue will get itchy, and as soon as I feel that I immediately stop and let them know that I’m feeling reactive.
“If need be, I brush my teeth immediately and take some emergency medication.
“It’s never really progressed past a bit of flushing and some head rush.”
However, Caroline believes her 'unconventional' method is actually a 'lowkey a cheat code to dating'.
She said: “It immediately weeds out any guys who don’t really give a s**t about you.
“Like if they have to follow a few rules to be able to kiss you, then they obviously care, they’re obviously interested, and they’re willing to put in a good amount of effort.”
Caroline has now settled down with her boyfriend Ryan, who is more than happy to abide by the rules.
And while the condition means kissing poses a risk, Caroline is not liming herself.
She said: "Kissing boys is definitely a risk.
“It invites potential instability into my life, but so does everyday life for me - for example, I am so allergic to dogs and cats, and it’s technically a risk for me to just leave the house or go to the beach.
“I could be laying down on the beach sunbathing and all of a sudden a dog could come up and lick my face.
“[That would be] immediate anaphylaxis.
“But I’m not going to not go to the beach just because I’m scared of the worst case scenario.”
Topics: Health, Life, Sex and Relationships
Callum Jones