DH and Sunlight

[Courtney09]

Good morning!  I have a question regarding dh rashes.  I was diagnosed with celiac disease 14 years ago and have always had the rash when cross contaminated with gluten.  However, just this spring and summer whenever my skin is exposed to the sunlight I break out in tiny itchy blisters and rashes.   Does anyone know if sunlight is confirmed to aggravate dh?  I find very limited information online.  Anyone else experience this?

Thanks!

[KHL]

I've had a similar issue develop on a sunny resort vacation, where I definitely experienced some cross contamination at restaurants. I suffered from DH before being diagnosed, but this rash was located in the areas of my body getting the most sun exposure (as opposed to where it used to develop when it was DH). It was incredibly itchy and seemed to get worse in the sun (whereas my DH always felt a little better in the sun). After some googling I thought I had developed "solar urticaria". A doctor later told me it was "acute spontaneous urticaria" and the medication and injections (Chloropyramine, Dexamethasone, Tamex) I received from the doctors on vacation worked to clear it up. 

The doctor I talked to about this didn't think it had to do with Celiac/cross contamination, but I don't know how knowledgeable they are about Celiac Disease.

I figure my immune system was a mess from cross contamination and presented itself as urticaria, which is thought to be an autoimmune issue and can be chronic and spontaneous. 

I'm the furthest thing from a doctor so talk to yours about it, but I hope that gives you some direction. 

[knitty kitty]

Hi, @Courtney09,

DH will flare up when exposed to sunlight, but you must have the antibodies produced when exposed to gluten in your system.  Granted, anti-gluten antibodies may stay in your system for several weeks after exposure to gluten.  However, if you have not been exposed to gluten recently, you may be suffering from a deficiency in Niacin Vitamin B3. 

Niacin deficiency is called Pellagra.  (Pellagra means "toad skin"in Italian.)  Pellagra can cause skin hyperpigmentation in addition to the little blisters and dry skin.  During the Great Depression of the 1930's, the term "red-neck" was used to describe poor people who ate lots of cornmeal and poor quality meats, a diet which was notoriously deficient in Niacin.  

The Pellagran dermatitis typically appears on areas exposed to the sun, especially the neck (Casal's necklace), arms and legs.  The Boots and Gloves of Pellagra appear on the feet and hands.  Beginning as dry skin (chapped hands and ash-y feet), large scales of thickened dry skin develop. 

Intractable diarrhea will develop.  As the deficiency continues, it affects the brain, and dementia develops.  

The Four D's of Pellagra are Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia and Death.  

Dermatitis herpetiformis is helped by taking Niacin and Tryptophan (another form of Niacin).  

Deficiency in Cobalamine Vitamin B12 can cause skin rashes and hyper-pigmentation of the skin.  Face, hands and feet are typically affected.  Exposure to the sun worsens these effects.

Autoimmune urticaria manifests as hives.  It can be helped with Cobalamine Vitamin B12 and correcting anemia. Immune-suppressing drugs may temporarily help.

It is possible to develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies while on the gluten free diet for a long time.  Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about supplementing with vitamins and minerals to replenish the nutrients you are missing from your diet.

Be aware that most doctors don't recognize vitamin deficiency disease symptoms.  

When I asked my health care professionals about the constant diarrhea and the rash around my neck, they assumed I had syphilis (produces a similar but different rash around the shoulders), and shuffled me out the back door of the clinic with an order for a syphilis blood test.  When that test was negative, the medical professionals gave no other explanation for the rash.  They did not recognize Niacin deficiency symptoms in malabsorption diseases like Celiac Disease.

Best wishes.

[razzle5150]

On 6/21/2023 at 9:25 AM, Courtney09 said:

Good morning!  I have a question regarding dh rashes.  I was diagnosed with celiac disease 14 years ago and have always had the rash when cross contaminated with gluten.  However, just this spring and summer whenever my skin is exposed to the sunlight I break out in tiny itchy blisters and rashes.   Does anyone know if sunlight is confirmed to aggravate dh?  I find very limited information online.  Anyone else experience this?

Thanks!

yes I had them all over arms and around neck didnt think it was the sun for a while but now yes