Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Soaps...

princessfuzzball

Recommended Posts

princessfuzzball Rookie
princessfuzzball
Posted

Allright, well I had this little silly incident in class where my professor was using goldfish crackers to explain a statistical thing in class. It didn't bug me to take a handful of crackers, but I knew that I would have to wash my hands as soon as I was done... I didn't want to get sick from that...

Anyways, I went into the bathroom and washed my hands only to realize--- What if the handsoap is not gluten free???!!!

Long story short, I went over and asked a few questions to the people in physical plant, and I got a no gluten here answer, good to know.

Now, I'm paranoid-What about other public bathrooms???

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

I know that some people here carry Purell - anit-bacterial with them in their purses all the time.

Felidae Enthusiast
Felidae
Posted

How dumb am I? I never even thought of that either. My house has gluten-free soap. I wash my hands on campus constantly and then of course I have to eat. Wow, maybe the soap sometimes gives me grief.

Carriefaith Enthusiast
Carriefaith
Posted

Do many soaps contain gluten?

princessfuzzball Rookie
princessfuzzball
Posted
  • Author
Do many soaps contain gluten?

I found that a lot more of the really creamy "lotion" sopas have them.... I wanted to be sure because I septnd three days a week on campus and I'm always washing my hands and chewing on my nails...

I know that some people here carry Purell - anit-bacterial with them in their purses all the time.

Purell won't work if for some reason you got gluten on your hands because it will just push it aroung. I don't want to risk that, and don't get me started on how bad that antibacterial gel is on your skin and whatnot....

Carriefaith Enthusiast
Carriefaith
Posted

We have to wash our hands everywhere we go, so esentially we could be washing our hands with gluten! That can't be safe! Why does soap need gluten anyway? I have an idea! Replace the gluten with carrots :D

Felidae Enthusiast
Felidae
Posted

It's better to use an alcohol based hand sanitizer not an antibacterial one for obvious reasons.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 1 year later...
ReneCox Contributor
ReneCox
Posted

so does anyone know what brands of hand soaps DO contain gluten??

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted
so does anyone know what brands of hand soaps DO contain gluten??

Off hand, I can't think of brands, but alot of the fancy soaps contain wheat and oats.

Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

I would avoid all soaps that claim that they have moisturizers in them. The likelihood of that being wheat germ oil is high.

And it is true that those antibacterial cleanses are useless, since gluten is not a bacterium. And the alcohol based one is just as useless, unless you rinse your hands with water afterwards. If you don't rinse your hands, the gluten is still present. You need to wash it off, not rub it around!

Felidae Enthusiast
Felidae
Posted
so does anyone know what brands of hand soaps DO contain gluten??

Some of the Canus Goat's Milk soaps have wheat in them.

Moelle Newbie
Moelle
Posted

Wow, I find this REALLY interesting. Long post ahead... grin.

I'm a brand new member here who happens to be an artisan soapmaker by trade... and discovering gluten intolerance! I'm 37 and a 10-year vegetarian, immersed in health care as a separate career of 12 years, also a yoga teacher (busy me!), and I'm starting my journey toward narrowing my problems down.

Anyway, this thread is sort of making me think out loud. Let me just share some of that, and maybe something will come of it.

I've read in a few sources that it requires actual contact with the digestive system for a celiac to be affected by a gluten-containing substance. I don't personally have enough info to have formed a solid opinion, and clearly the postings of people on this board indicate otherwise. It's possible that a gluten-containing soap (if soap is the substance in question) was accidentally ingested, or that the things I've read are incorrect.

As far as soap ingredients, there are very few gluten-containing materials that even are used in soapmaking. Soap is a combination of fats or oils and lye (sodium hydroxide). The only oil I can think of that would obviously be a factor is wheat germ oil. I've used it rarely in soapmaking, and dermal contact has never caused a problem for me. Indeed, I've put oats in soap, and they could be CC'd, and I suppose some of my other base oils could be CC'd. As for other additives (scents, essential oils, botanicals), they are gluten free, unless you are using wheat germ or bran as an additive, and this very rarely occurs in a soap. I personally do not sell any soaps presently (though might in the future here and there) with gluten-containing ingredients in them. It's just SO rare. They're expensive and the benefit they provide to the skin isn't that amazing to spend the money. Wheat germ oil is not as great soap additive as, say, avocado or apricot kernel oil. The latter are far more commonly used. Besides, soap isn't moisturizing. It's just milder than detergent.

Here's the other thing I have to wonder about. There's a chemical reaction called saponification, when the lye eats up the oil/fat molecules, and turns the whole mess into soap. Even if any ingredients were CC'd, at that point, is there any gluten remaining, or did the chemical reaction mutate them? I think only lab analysis would tell us, and sadly I can't afford that! :o Do milk soaps still contain active casein? I personally use only soymilk, but it's another good question.

The other thing is this. Most commercial soap isn't soap at all. It's synthetic detergent in bar form. So it's also possible that it is a reaction to synthetic ingredients. Anytime you see "moisturizing bar", legally that is not true soap. A soap can make claims of being moisturizing etc., but rarely does, because then the FDA calls it a cosmetic and it's subject to some seeerious testing and labeling requirements. So, read the label and make sure you are getting what you pay for ;)

In theory, it's easy to make a gluten-free soap, and in theory, all of mine and most of other soapmakers I know, are gluten-free. So... use gluten-free substances. Use separate utensils (even though all utensils used in soapmaking must be stainless steel and are sterilized), a dedicated working area, and gluten-free base oils... but here, the problem comes in of confirming they are "clean". I've never seen such info listed for suppliers, and remember I'm not buying oils at the grocery store... I'm buying them in 55-pound barrels at restaurant supply or soapmaker supply places. But it is an interesting thought.

That's more than anyone wanted to know about soap! I hope some info was useful.

This is such a fabulous resource here... been reading for 1 1/2 hours! It's very nice to meet everyone. Finally I realize I'm not crazy!

hershey Newbie
hershey
Posted
That's more than anyone wanted to know about soap! I hope some info was useful.

This is such a fabulous resource here... been reading for 1 1/2 hours! It's very nice to meet everyone. Finally I realize I'm not crazy!

That was very interesting! Thanks for posting it, Moelle. I'm new here too, and was about to scream

SOAP TOO??

What else is left? Good grief!

OK, I've calmed down and am now relatively assured that the inexpensive "deodorant bar" type soaps that I buy are not making me or my son sick.

Thanks for all the information on this forum :)

Mel

Moelle Newbie
Moelle
Posted
That was very interesting! Thanks for posting it, Moelle. I'm new here too, and was about to scream

SOAP TOO??

What else is left? Good grief!

OK, I've calmed down and am now relatively assured that the inexpensive "deodorant bar" type soaps that I buy are not making me or my son sick.

Thanks for all the information on this forum :)

Mel

I know, I did the same thing. I'm like, am I out of a career?? LOL Everyone is different though, so I make no claims as to what others experience. I think it's safe to assume that what you're buying is gluten-free.

wowzer Community Regular
wowzer
Posted

Thank you for all the information about soap. It's always great to learn something new.

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

I checked the soap ingredients at my work, too! I've never seen an industrial soap that has gluten. Not to say they don't exist, but I think it's rare. It's all the specialty soaps that have "all natural wheat and oat ingredients to soothe and moisturize your hands." :) I don't worry about using soap in public places. If you're soy intolerant, then I think you would have a problem since most industrial soaps do contain soy.

ArtGirl Enthusiast
ArtGirl
Posted

I've never gotten glutened from washing my hands in a public/office restroom, but I use the "soap" sparingly and really rinse well, along with rubbing my hands well on the paper towel when drying (and not just blotting). I feel like I've eliminated gluten even if it were in the soap, which it probably isn't. But some places use moisturizing liquid "soap" which could be suspect, I guess.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,633
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Sandra Lene
    Newest Member
    Sandra Lene
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • deanna1ynne
      Inconclusive results

      By deanna1ynne · Posted

      Dd10 was tested for celiac four years ago bc two siblings were dx’d (positive labs and biopsies). Her results at the time were positive ema  and ttg (7x the UL), but a negative biopsy. We checked again three months later and her ttg was still positive (4x the UL), but ema and biopsy were negative. Doc said it was “potential celiac” and to keep eating gluten, but we were concerned about harming her growth and development while young and had her go gluten-free because we felt the labs and ema in particular were very suggestive of early celiac, despite the negative biopsies. She also had stomach aches and lethargy when eating it. We just felt it’d be better to be safe than sorry. Now, four years later, she doesn’t want to be gluten-free if she doesn’t “have to be,” so underwent a 12 week gluten challenge. She had labs done before starting and all looked great (celiac panel all negative, as expected.) Surprisingly, she experienced no noticeable symptoms when she began eating gluten again, which we felt was a positive sign. However, 12 weeks in, her labs are positive again (ttg 4x the UL and ema positive again as well). Doc says that since she feels fine and her previous two biopsies showed nothing, she can just keep eating gluten and we could maybe biopsy again in two years. I was looking up the ema test and the probability of having not just one but two false positives, and it seems ridiculously low.  Any advice? Would you biopsy again? She’s old enough at this point that I really feel I need her buy-in to keep her gluten-free, and she feels that if the doc says it’s fine, then that’s the final word — which makes me inclined to biopsy again and hope that it actually shows damage this time (not because I want her to have celiac like her sisters, but because I kind of think she already does have it, and seeing the damage now would save her more severe damage in the long run that would come from just continuing to eat gluten for a few more years before testing again.)  Our doc is great - we really like him. But we are very confused and want to protect her. One of her older sibs stopped growing and has lots of teeth problems and all that jazz from not catching the celiac disease sooner, and we don’t want to get to that point with the younger sis. fwiw- she doesn’t mind the biopsy at all. It’s at a children’s hospital and she thinks it’s kind of fun. So it’s not like that would stress her out or anything.
    • Inkie
      Buckwheat

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thanks for the replies. I already use a gluten-free brand of buckwheat flakes I occasionally get itchy bumps. I'm still reviewing all my food products. I occasionally eat prepackaged gluten-free crackers and cookies, so I'll stop using those. I use buckwheat flakes and Doves Farm flour as a base for baking. Would you recommend eliminating those as well? It's a constant search.
    • Wheatwacked
      Frequent nausea after gluten-free diet

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Gluten free food is not fortified with vitamins and minerals as regular food is.  Vitamin deficiencies are common especially in recently diagnosed persons,  Get a 25(OH)Vitamin D blood test. And work on raising it.  The safe upper blood level is around 200 nmol/L.    "Low serum levels of 25(OH)D have been associated with increased risk of autoimmune disease onset and/or high disease activity. The role of vitamin D in autoimmune diseases   🏋️‍♂️Good job!   I find the commercial milk will give me mild stomach burn at night, while pasture/grassfed only milk does not bother me at all.  While you are healing, listen to your body.  If it hurts to eat something, eat something else.  You may be able to eat it later, or maybe it is just not good for you.  Lower your Omega 6 to 3 ratio of what you eat.  Most omega 6 fatty acids are inflammation causing.    The standard american diet omega 6:3 ratio is estimated at upward of 14:1.  Thats why fish oil works
    • Inkie
      Thee

      By Inkie · Posted

      I  notice a reaction to tea bags, possibly due to gluten or other substances. Is this recognizable?
    • trents
      Taking Probiotics but Still Getting Sick After Gluten – Advice?

      By trents · Posted

      The blood tests you had done are not the main ones. The two main ones are the "Total IGA" (to check for IGA deficiency) and the "TTG-IGA". Current guidelines for the "gluten challenge" when people have been gluten free for a significant time period are the daily consumption of at least10g of gluten (about the amount in 4-6 slices of wheat bread) for at least two weeks leading up to the day of the blood draw. That should give you some perspective.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.