CANADA — A rare condition called hematohidrosis causes people to sweat blood, says a new study.

A 21-year-old Italian woman was found to have been bleeding intermittently from her face and palms for three years, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Episodes seemed to be triggered without warning, although stress would often intensify the bleeding.

She was eventually diagnosed with blood sweating, or hematohidrosis. This condition causes blood to seep out of unbroken skin like normal perspiration.

It's most common on the face, ears, nose and eyes and is often associated with fear and emotional stress, according to the National Institutes of Health Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, Time reported.

The woman was treated with a beta blocker — propranolol — normally used to regulate blood pressure and heart rate. The medicine did not stop the bleeding, but she did experience a "marked reduction" in symptoms.

Medical experts still don't know what causes the condition.