Random Thoughts

Yes, shampoos, skin creams, etc are an issue for me as well. We have to remember that our skin is our largest 'organ' and it absorbs gluten as well. So we have to be extra careful to read ingredients on soaps, skin cream, makeup, hair care products you name it. Anything we put on our skin. Especially as when we shower it opens the pores and can absorb anything more readily!

Hi. I was recently diagnosed as celiac. I was having a problem with itchy skin and rashes, so I switched to an oatmeal cream that was supposed to soothe itchy skin. it got worse. then I found out that in rare cases topical items containing wheat and oats can cause problems in rare cases. now I check the labels on this stuff, too. my hair has also been falling out, thought it was just old age, then like you, I read the label and saw wheat protein listed, so I switched. My hair has stopped falling out and my scalp is in much better condition too. Hope you are doing well. Take care.

I am wondering if you have a wheat allergy AND celiac?? I know it can happen. My kids that are allergic to milk can't physically touch it - that makes me think you may have both issues.

Hey everyone, thank you for the feedback, I guess I will start looking more carefully at what I am using on my skin. Just makes life a little more interesting!

After reading this, I was really scared. I ran in the bathroom and grabbed my favorite bottle of Tressemme shampoo and began reading. No where, on the shampoo bottle or the conditioner, did I read anything that pertained to wheat. There was a lot of ingredients that I couldn't even pronounce, but no wheat that I could detect. Whew, I was relieved, as that is one of my favorite products. Unless I am too ignorant to recognize a hidden wheat ingredient, I will continue to use it. So far, no hair fall out.

Wheat products found in many personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, soaps, moisturizers, etc., probably can be irritating to some people. Other ingredients to watch out for are dyes. Most commercial personal care products contain artificial coloring/dyes and many people have terrible reactions to them (many people don't even realize it's the dyes that are doing it). Many artificial colorings contain gluten, and often times contain petrochemicals (coal-tar derived). In addition to having a sensitivity to gluten, many of us with Celiac are also sensitive to many chemicals. I had the same problem with losing a lot of my hair, and the hair that didn't fall out simply got burned out - extremely dry, fly-away, ends were terribly split. After about a year of using chemical-free shampoos and conditioners, my hair is back to being really pretty again. Initially, I thought my hair was changing due to age - was I ever wrong! Hope this helps.

I am also having a problem with my hair being very dry. I find lots of it on my pillow, and in the shower. I had assumed it had to do with malabsorption. Guess I better take a closer look at what I'm using. As far as I know, the experts say that you can't absorb gluten in skin and hair.

I have been on gluten free diet since 18 months. I am now 49 years old. Yes, I also had problems with any shampoo, conditioner, or body wash with wheat contents. It caused me to have rash, itchiness and hair loss. I suggest being careful using products. My doctor recommended to read everything**

I have trouble with treseme as well. I love it but my hair falls out as well. I have used Neutregena Triple Moisture and I do much better. I also like John Frieda. I have to watch all my lotions and baby lotion is about the only lotion that I can use. I have become such a label reader and take my own shampoo even to the salon.

The gluten on my skin and hair tends to give me very large almost boil like things on my arms. If anyone has any more suggestions for shampoos, I am very open to them.... Best of luck...

I use a shampoo from gluten free Savonnerie and it works well for me. It was formulated to be gluten free so I don't have to worry.

Thank you for the feedback. I was wondering if I need to change shampoo or not because every time I shampoo my hair falls out really bad and it is stressing me out. If I have to use baby shampoo I will. Thanks all.

I had the same problem with wheat germ oil in shampoo and conditioner. It's tough to find products without it but it's best. My hair also dried up, tangled and clumped and then fell out. I also developed an itchy flaky skin rash that resembled dandruff but it wasn't. When I got off the wheat products, my condition cleared up in 1 week.

I have a problem with perms. My hair breaks off at the scalp and feels like a I was shaved a few days later. I had a lot of different hairdressers none seem to know.

I was diagnosed with Celiac when I was 5 and I am 20 now. For years I used a variety of shampoos because my head kept breaking out and after talking to other Celiacs I have found a combination of shampoos that work. The first shampoo is called Nizoral A-D, it is an anti-dandruff shampoo, but according to the doctor it prevents the break outs. The only fall back is that it costs almost $15 a bottle. You are only supposed to use it a 2-3 times a week though so they also recommended using Johnson's baby shampoo on the other days because it is easier on the hair.

Boy, do these posts open up my eyes! I have been having a lot of trouble with my hair falling out, thought it was age also, most skin cleanser leave me feeling scalded, my scalp flakes and is itchy and it seems like my hair products are burning my head! I am going to have to try gluten free products just to see.

My hair has also fallen out using Tressemme shampoos and conditioners. I also thought it was due from malabsorption before I found out wheat was in my shampoo. I think they need to come up with a line of gluten free shampoos instead of having to order a special kind online. I try to contact the companies and ask them what products contain gluten and what do not. Most products do contain wheat which sucks for us.

My ears, neck, face and head has been itching, and I realized it was from the Tresemme shampoo I was using. No fallout, but I can't use it. Just started going gluten free due to hives after exercise related to wheat and gluten. I wonder if anyone has some good shampoos we can use?

Recently I too have been dealing with hair loss and itchy scalp. I am an African American woman who typically wears twists as a hair style. In March, I was diagnosed with a condition called scarring alopecia. That was devastating enough. Then my hair continued to thin and I began using a couple of products that I thought would help me. I didn't realize that one had wheat protein as an ingredient; another had wheat germ. Since being diagnosed as a Celiac in 2003, I've been super conscientious of what I ingest, but I've not been as knowledgeable about what I've been putting on my skin and hair . I am so appreciative for these posts. These posts have been so encouraging! My hair stylist and I will be making some significant changes in my hair products!

Oh my, I was just looking up info about Celiac & losing hair. More than half of my hair is now gone and I keep clogging up the drain. I have been using Tresemme for years. I've been looking at wigs lately but I am so active, I'm afraid it will fall of or something. I was just diagnosed with Celiac Nov. 08. I thought about hair care items being a problem but wasn't sure. Which one exactly is the wheat ingredient? I am so confused.

There is a Gluten Free Shampoo and a Gluten Free Shower gel that have no parabens and no sls and no dyes and no fragrance, they are made by Nature's Topicals.

Just a heads up I know Surface Hair Care is Gluten Free.

So I'm glad to know that I should be watching out for gluten and wheat by-products in my shower supplies, but what are they called? Do they have "hidden" names that would make these sources of gluten/wheat hard to identify?

Does anyone have a list of these "banned ingredients"?

Thanks!

Natures Tropicals was just recommended by my Derm as being gluten free...I just spoke to them and currently they have a shampoo and shower gel. She told me that they are unscented and work very well. Don't currently have a conditioner...she says they were hoping for a better demand but I think maybe they need better marketing! Will update on how well shampoo works. It's not that expensive.

My Derm diagnosed me with dermatitis herpetaformis which sounds exactly like the boils you have. It is a reaction to gluten,. They are actually a "blistering disease" and break open at the smallest scratch!! Very painful and annoying. Dr's kept telling me it was Acne!!! I think I may have a gluten allergy as well as intolerance. Dapsone Gel applied to them helps them go away fast and so does not eating or touching gluten (wash your hands if you do touch anything gluten) I have put my hand in a loaf of bread to make husband a sandwich and gotten hives!!!You can take dapsone pills but derm said they lower your immunity and was last thing I wanted to do. I also double checked my medications and supplements and found some with gluten in them (pregelatinized starch)! after finding many hidden glutens I find my hair is not falling out very much anymore but think I really need an absolute 100% gluten free shampoo and conditioner.

I use Purpose cleansing bar which is supposed to be gluten free., also dapsone gel on face and any "blisters" that I find. It is marketed by Allergen under the name "Aczone". Strangely "Dapsone" used to be used for leprosy! Really helps tame the blisters, highly recommend it!

Also if you had blisters in the past and didn't know what they were and now have darkened bumps that look like they are under the skin, you can apply dapsone and it will clear those up too. I got a look at the back of my legs in a full length mirror a few months ago and saw the damage (blue/purplish spots)which prompted me to go to the derm and got the whole celiac diagnosis in the first place!!!

I've been doing some digging around the net and these are the "names" I have found thanks to various websites:

Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Bran Extract, Bran, or Protein

Barley Extract or Lipids

Cyclodextrin

Dextrin

Dextrin Palmitate

Disodium Wheat Germamido PEG-2-Sulfosuccinat

Fermented Grain Extract

Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract

Hydrolyzed Malt Extract, Oat Flour, Vegetable Protein, Wheat Flour, or Gluten

(AMP-Isostearoyl/PG-Propyl Silanetriol/Steardimonium Hydroxypropyl/PVP Crosspolymer) Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch

Malt Extract

Maltodextrin (I don't know how many countless times I've seen that one!)

Phytospingosine Extract

Samino Peptide Complex

Secale Cereale (Rye) Seed Flour

Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract, Germ Oil, Gluten, Starch, Gluten Extract/Water, Flour Lipids

Wheat Amino Acids

Wheat Germ Glycerides

Wheat. Germ Extract

Wheatgermamidoprpyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate

Yeat Extract

And... be very wary of Tocopherol/Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)

It can be derived from a number of sources, including wheat. It all depends on the manufacturer, and from what I can tell, can only be determined by directly contacting the manufacturer (and sometimes they do not even know!).

Of course, I would always suggest double-checking everything. And when in doubt, contact the manufacturer, or avoid the product!!

Good luck!!

OMG - this post is amazing! I thought it was just sulfates that have been giving my scalp problems. Now I know to check the ingredients for wheat bi-products as well. Thanks so much for having this conversation!!!